Sea of Tranquility

(Compiled by Duncan Glenday)
*** Please CLICK HERE to vote for YOUR favorite album of the year !***

(Click on each writer's name below to go directly to his list.)

Summarized List Of The Top 60 CDs, From All Of The SoT Staff

Pete Pardo
Michael Popke
Butch Jones
Carl Sederholm
Dean Pedley
Jon Neudorf
Scott Jessup
Simon Bray
Steven Reid
Nicholas Franco

PETE PARDO

The Top 50

1. Opeth : Sorceress
2. Destroyer 666 : Wildfire
3. Witchcraft : Nucleus
4. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit
5. Glenn Hughes : Resonate
6. Testament : Brotherhood of the Snake
7. Meshuggah : The Violent Sleep of Reason
8. Santana : IV
9. Fates Warning : Theories of Flight
10. The Neal Morse Band : The Similitude Of A Dream
11. Metal Church : XI
12. Anciients : Voice of the Void
13. Spiritual Beggars : Sunrise to Sundown
14. Fallujah : Dreamless
15. Inquisition : Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith
16. Dark Tranquility : Atoma
17. Rival Sons : Hollow Bones
18. Borknagar : Winter Thrice
19. Scorpion Child : Acid Roulette
20. Obscura : Akroasis
21. Glass Hammer : Valkyrie
22. Redemption : The Art of Loss
23. Alter Bridge : The Last Hero
24. Haken : Affinity
25. Primal Fear : Rulebreaker
26. Diamond Head : Diamond Head
27. Megadeth : Dystopia
28. Magnum : Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies
29. Sumerlands : Sumerlands
30. Mryrath : Legacy
31. Flotsam and Jetsam : Flotsam and Jetsam
32. The Golden Grass : Coming Back Again
33. Brutus : Wandering Blind
34. Mangrove : Days of the Wicked
35. Insomnium : Winter's Gate
36. Brainstorm : Scary Creatures
37. Epica : The Holographic Principle
38. Dewa Budjana : Zentuary
39. Captain Crimson : Remind
40. Van Der Graaf Generator : Do Not Disturb
41. Cactus : Black Dawn
42. Hawkwind : The Machine Stops
43. Candlemass : Death Thy Lover
44. Anderson/Stolt : Invention of Knowledge
45. Beastmaker : Losus Naturae
46. The Dead Daisies : Make Some Noise
47. Blues Pills : Lady in Gold
48. Inglorious : Inglorious
49. Abbath : Abbath
50. Eye : Vision and the Ageless Light

Best Live Albums of 2016

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow-Memories in Rock-Live in Germany
Royal Hunt-Cargo
Joe Bonamassa-Live at the Greek Theatre
Saint Vitus-Live Vol. 2
Jimi Hendrix-Machine Gun
ZZ Top- Live, Greatest Hits From Around the World
Martin Turner-Life Begins
Martin Turner (ex-Wishbone Ash)- New Live Dates, The Complete Set
Lucifer's Friend-Live @ Sweden Rock 2015
Stick Men+ - Midori
Outlaws-Legacy Live
Heikki Sarmanto Serious Music Ensemble: The Helsinki Tapes Vol 1

Best Concerts of 2016

Black Sabbath, Madison Square Garden
Santana & Journey, Madison Square Garden
Grand Funk Railroad, Paramount Theater
Steely Dan & Steve Winwood, Bethel Woods
Styx, Mid Hudson Civic Center
Anderson Rabin Wakeman, Beacon Theater
Journey & Doobie Brothers & Dave Mason, Bethel Woods

MICHAEL POPKE

Best of 2016

1. The Neal Morse Band : The Similitude of a Dream
2. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit
3. Fates Warning : Theories of Flight
4. The Mute Gods : Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
5. Theocracy : Ghost Ship
6. Dream Theater : The Awakening
7. Tilt : Hinterland
8. Devin Townsend Project : Transcendence
9. Opeth : Sorceress
10. Evergrey : The Storm Within
11. Karmakanic : DOT
12. Mob Rules : Tales From Beyond
13. Poverty's No Crime : Spiral of Fear
14. The Receiver : All Burn
15. Metallica : Hardwired � To Self-Destruct
16. The Pineapple Thief : Your Wilderness
17. Erik Norlander : Surreal
18. Tiles : Pretending 2 Run
19. Mercy Isle : Undying Fire
20. Tyketto : Reach

Honorable Mention

Big Big Train: Folklore
Maschine: Naturalis
Billy Sherwood: Citizen
Rikard Sj�blom: The Unbendable Sleep
Bruce Soord: Bruce Soord

Best Reissues/Live Albums/EPs of 2016

1. Steven Wilson: 4 �
2. Security Project: Live 1 + Live 2
3. Jeff Healey: Heal My Soul
4. Pink Floyd: Cre/ation-The Early Years 1967-1972
5. Leprous: Live at Rockefeller Music Hall

Honorable Mention:

Gazpacho Reissues (Bravo, When Earth Lets Go, Firebird, Tick Tock)
Walter Trout: Alive in Amsterdam
Steven Wilson: Transience

Best Books of 2016

1. Born to Run, by Bruce Springsteen
2. The Legend of Jesse Smoke: A Novel, by Robert Bausch
3. Old Records Never Die: One Man's Quest for His Vinyl and His Past, by Eric Spitznagel
4. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders, by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton
5. The Woman in Cabin 10: A Novel, by Ruth Ware

BUTCH JONES

Top 25 of 2016

1. Meshuggah : The Violent Sleep of Reason
2. Rival Sons : Hollow Bones
3. Glenn Hughes : Resonate
4. Gojira : Magma
5. Katatonia : The Fall of Hearts
6. Aeges : Weightless
7. Ihsahn : Arktis
8. Opeth : Sorceress
9. Wovenwar : Honor Is Dead
10. Crobot : Fat City
11. Devin Townsend Project : Transcendence
12. Candiria : While They Were Sleeping
13. Destrage : A Means To No End
14. Megadeth : Dystopia
15. Fates Warning : Theories of Flight
16. Hacktivist : Outside The Box
17. Evergrey : The Storm Within
18. Periphery : Periphery III
19. The Pretty Reckless : Who You Selling For
20. Korn : The Serenity Of Suffering
21. Brainstorm : Scary Creatures
22. Anthrax : For All Kings
23. The New Black : A Monster's Life
24. Solution .45 : Nightmares In The Waking State - Part II
25. The Dead Daisies : Make Some Noise

CARL SEDERHOLM

The Best of 2016

1. Lycus : Chasms
2. Conan : Revengeance
3. Black Tusk : Pillars of Ash
4. Trees of Eternity : Hour of the Nightingale
5. True Widow : Avvolgere
6. Red Fang : Only Ghosts
7. Black Cobra : Imperium Simulacra
8. Graves at Sea : The Curse that Is
9. Inverloch : Distance / Collapsed
10. Necronomicon : Advent of the Human God
11. Necrot : The Labyrinth
12. The Slayerking : Sanatana Dharma
13. 16 : Lifespan of a Moth
14. Auroch : Mute Books
15. Season of Arrows : Give it to the Mountain
16. Khemmis : Hunted
17. Bat : Wings of Chains
18. Ghoul : Dungeon Bastards
19. Centipede : Sarnath
20. Fleshgod Apocalypse : King
21. King Buffalo : Orion
22. Inanimate Existence : Calling from a Dream
23. Insomnium : Winter's Gate
24. Testament : Brotherhood of the Snake
25. Moonsorrow : Jumalten aika
26. Barishi : Blood from the Lion's Mouth
27. Crowbar : The Serpent Only Lies
28. Head of the Demon : Sathanas Trismegistos
29. Epica : The Holographic Principle
30. Deathkings : All that is Beautiful
31. Sarabante : Poisonous Legacy
32. Inter Arma : Paradise Gallows
33. Serpent Crown : Incantations of Vengeance
34. Seven Sisters of Sleep : Ezekiel's Hags
35. SVLFVR : Shamanic Lunar Culta

DEAN PEDLEY

Top Albums

1. Whiskey Myers : Mud
2. The Cadillac Three : Bury Me In My Boots
3. Purson : Desires Magic Theatre
4. Alter Bridge : The Last Hero
5. Blackberry Smoke : Like An Arrow
6. Rival Sons : Hollow Bones
7. The Answer : Solus
8. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit
9. Opeth : Sorceress
10. Marillion : F.E.A.R.
11. The Pretty Reckless : Who You Selling For
12. Volbeat : Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie
13. Cheap Trick : Bang, Zoom, Crazy�Hello
14. Blackfoot : Southern Native
15. Gojira : Magma

Top Gigs

1 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow @ Genting Arena, Birmingham
2 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @ Ricoh Arena, Coventry
3 ZZ Top @ O2 Academy, Birmingham
4 The Cadillac Three @ O2 Academy, Birmingham
5 Whiskey Myers @ O2 Institute, Birmingham
6 Molly Hatchet @ The Robin 2, Bilston
7 The Who @ SSE Arena, Wembley
8 Purson @ HRH Prog 4, Pwellhi
9 Alter Bridge @ Genting Arena, Birmingham
10 Volbeat @ Genting Arena, Birmingham

JON NEUDORF

It was another stellar year for music and as usual I seem to have fallen behind with some of the bigger releases. I have yet to hear the latest from Neal Morse, Knifeworld, Anderson/Stolt, Marillion, Tiles, FM, Erik Norlander, Big Big Train, Gong, Cirrus Bay�and the list goes on. That being said I listened to some wonderful music this year. These are my favourite discs of 2016:

1. Redemption : The Art Of Loss
2. The Mute Gods : Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
3. Long Distance Calling : Trips
4. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit
5. Fates Warning : Theories of Flight
6. Frost : Falling Satellites
7. Haken : Affinity
8. The Samurai Of Prog : Lost And Found
9. Messenger : Threnodies
10. Karmakanic : Dot
11. Headspace : All That You Fear Is Gone
12. Spiritual Beggars : Sunrise To Sundown
13. Sonus Umbra : Beyond The Panopticon
14. Kyros : Vox Humana
15. John Wesley : A way you'll never be�
16. Decameron : Ten days in 100 novellas � Part III
17. Van Der Graaf Generator : Do Not Disturb
18. The Fringe : The Fringe
19. TCP : Temporal Chaos
20. The Syn : Trustworks
21. Ayreon : The Theater Equation
22. Elephant Plaza : Momentum
23. Circuline : Counterpoint
24. Pareidolia : Denied Truths
25. Holon : the time is always now
26. Cromwell : Black Chapter Red
27. Hawkwind : The Machine Stops
28. Fractal Mirror : Slow Burn 1
29. Trettio�riga Kriget : Seaside Air
30. Karibow : Holophinium

SCOTT JESSUP

Top 50

1. Epica : The Holographic Principle (Such an addictive metal recording, Epica have done it again)
2. Myrath : Legacy (Another stellar oriental metal album by Myrath)
3. Redemption : The Art Of Loss (With their track record I had no doubts at all that this would be anything less than great, surely one of the top progressive metal groups)
4. Fates Warning : Theories of Flight (Their best album in some time, great stuff)
5. Haken : Affinity (Another fantastic progressive release by Haken, fine work all round)
6. The Neal Morse Band : Similitude Of A Dream (Totally addictive double progressive album)
7. Testament : Brotherhood of the Snake (Thrash metal album of the year)
8. Obscura : Akroasis (The performances on this one are just so good)
9. Abbath : Abbath (Top debut from the one known as Abbath)
10. Riverside : Eye Of The Soundscape (Such a cool release, awesome album to chill out to)
11. DGM : The Passage
12. Death Angel : The Evil Divide
13. Anthrax : For All Kings
14. Circus Maximus : Havoc
15. Trick Or Treat : Rabbits' Hill Pt. 2
16. Avantasia : Ghostlights
17. Meshuggah : The Violent Sleep of Reason
18. Mob Rules : Tales From Beyond
19. Theocracy : Ghost Ship
20. Serenity : Code Atlanticus
21. Charred Walls Of The Damned : Creatures Watching Over The Dead
22. Devin Towsend Project : Transcendence
23. Thunderstone : Apocalypse Again
24. Megadeth : Dystopia
25. Tremonti : Dust
26. Flotsam And Jetsam : Flotsam And Jetsam
27. Alter Bridge : The Last Hero
28. Rhapsody Of Fire : Into The Legend
29. Michael Sweet : One Sided War
30. Brainstorm : Scary Creatures
31. Amon Amarth : Jomsviking
32. Watchtower : Concepts of Math - Book One
33. Eternity's End : The Fire Within
34. Resurrection Kings : Resurrection Kings
35. Mystic Prophecy : War Brigade
36. Helstar : Vampiro
37. Avenged Sevenfold : The Stage
38. Opeth : Sorceress
39. Rob Zombie : The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser
40. Denner/Shermann : Masters Of Evil
41. Serenity : Dim Days Of Dolor
42. Diabulus In Musica : Dirge For The Archons
43. Sonata Arctica : The Ninth Hour
44. Hammerfall : Built To Last
45. Viscous Rumors : Concussion Protocol
46. Chaos Frame : Paths To Exile
47. Utopian Trap : The Human Device
48. Seven Kingdom : In The Walls
49. Iron Fire : Among The Dead
50. Mortillery : Shapeshifter

SIMON BRAY

Best of 2016-The Top 40

1. Big Big Train : Folklore (Remarkably English.)
2. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit (Mindblowingly good.)
3. Drive-By Truckers : American band ()
4. Santana : IV (Impossibly excellent. Just magnificent.)
5. Tedeschi Trucks Band : Let Me Get By (Three studio albums, three classics.)
6. HammerFall : Built to Last (Love this band!)
7. Avantasia : Ghostlights (A remarkable sequence of brilliant albums continues.)
8. Sabaton : The Last Stand (Consistent Swedes)
9. Blackberry Smoke : Like an Arrow (Very solid release.)
10. Graham Bonnet Band : The Book (Massive surprise � great package of new material and classics.)
11. Glenn Hughes : Resonate (Wow, how heavy is this?)
12. Wolf Hoffmann : Headbangers Symphony (Better than the punctuality.)
13. Deadlock : Hybris (Another band on a good run.)
14. Ted Poley : Beyond the Fade (Another solo winner from the nicest man in rock.)
15. Tyketto : Reach (A quality release by a quality band)
16. Dan Reed Network : Fight Another Day (Welcome back!)
17. Lordi : Monstereophonic (Theaterror vs (Demonarchy) Their winning streak continues.)
18. The Defiants : The Defiants (1987 (the year) revisited.)
19. Amon Amarth : Jomsviking (Same as Avantasia)
20. Cruzh : Cruzh (Exciting debut album of sheer fluffiness.)
21. Asenblut : Berserker (The German Amon Amarth!)
22. Magnum : Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (Some don't like it. I do.)
23. Anvil : Anvil is Anvil (Still knocking them out.)
24. Iamthemorning : Lighthouse (Satisfying and enigmatic.)
25. Blood Red Saints : Speedway (Enjoyably throwback)
26. Crematory : Monument (More veterans on form.)
27. Treat : Ghost of Graceland (Valiant effort from aged Swedes.)
28. Universal Mind Project : The Jaguar Priest (Power metal of the highest quality.)
29. Mob Rules : Tales From Beyond (Twenty-plus years into their career and still excellent.)
30. Ravenia : Beyond The Walls of Death (Old school female-fronted symphonic rock.)
31. Nordic Union : Nordic Union (Pretty Maids' singer and W.E.T. songwriter with top album.)
32. Primal Fear : Rulebreaker (Highly reliable as ever)
33. Varg : Achtung (Their best yet.)
34. Rhapsody of Fire : Into the Legend (Veteran Italians still delivering the goods.)
35. Sleep of Monsters : II (Poison Garden. more eclectic mayhem from Svart Records.)
36. Talmud Beach : Chief (Laid back blues.)
37. Peace Killers : Peace Killers (Total riffest.)
38. Serenity : Codex Atlanticus (Their fifth and best yet.)
39. Human Fortress : Thieves Of The Night (Return to form.)
40. Sunstorm : Edge of Tomorrow (Probably the weakest Sunstorm album yet but still good.)

Live Albums

Dirkschneider: Live � Back to the Roots
Outlaws: Legacy Live
Bloodbound: One Night of Blood
Night Ranger: 35 Years and a Night in Chicago
Elvenking: The Night of Nights Live
EPs
Delain: Lunar Prelude
Celestial Ruin: Pandora
Rerecording:
FM: Indiscreet 30

Concerts

Dirkschneider and Anvil at Manchester Club Academy. Just perfect.
The Stranglers and The Alarm at Manchester Apollo. Two veteran bands still at their peak.
Romeo's Daughter and Blood Red Saints at Manchester Academy 3. Great double bill of AOR.
Sabaton, Alestorm and Bloodbound at Manchester Academy. Three great bands on one great bill.
A Thousand Horses and Purson at Manchester Club Academy. Top quality headline act.
The Quireboys and Hardcore Superstar at Manchester Ritz. Fabulous fun.
Whiskey Myers at Manchester Academy 2 (January.) Much better than headliners The Cadillac Three.

STEVEN REID

2016 Top 50

1. Gandalf's Fist : The Clockwork Fable (3 disc prog-radio play is simply a masterpiece)
2. Eden's Curse : Cardinal (the UK's best melodic rock act release their best album yet)
3. Winterhorde : Maestro (Israeli extreme progressivers hit the heights with a deep, dark album)
4. Cairo : Say (the return of ex-Touchstone man Rob Cottingham is a melodic prog delight with depth)
5. Rikard Sj�blom : The Unbendable Sleep (Beardfish man goes solo and beautifully exceeds expectations)
6. Demon : Cemetery Junction (the UK rock veterans release their strongest album in quite some time)
7. Opeth : Sorceress (it isn't the heavy return we were promised but it's excellent nonetheless)
8. Marillion : Fuck Everyone And Run (Marillion think this is one of their best ever, they're correct!)
9. Alter Bridge : The Last Hero (a hard hitting yet wide reaching rock album that assures this band have to be taken seriously)
10. Frost* : Falling Satellites (the return of Frost* is an example of how exciting modern prog can be)
11. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit (US prog veterans surprise everyone by releasing a corker!)
12. Scott Sorry : When We Were Kings (the best punk n' roll album for many a moon from ex-Wildheart, Amen man)
13. John Wesley : a way you'll never be (a perfect mix of Wesley's singer-songwriter and prog sides)
14. Myrath : Legacy (Tunisia's Myrath deliver the power-prog album they've long suggested they're capable of)
15. The Neal Morse Band : The Similitude Of A Dream (a sprawling, 2 disc epic from the most reliable man in prog)
16. Robin George And Dangerous Music : Painful Kiss (oldies, newies and simply memorable songs from the most underrated man in music)
17. KT Tunstall : KIN (this lady shows her influences like never before but crafts her best album ever doing so)
18. Big Big Train : Folklore (atmospherically English prog from a band who deserve much more recognition)
19. Blueminded : Seize The Day (a keen mix of AOR and prog that makes a lasting mark)
20. New Model Army : Winter (hoary oldsters are still raging against the world in gritty, captivating fashion)
21. Haken : Affinity (a more melodic, 80s influenced offering from these technical proggers)
22. Edensong : Years In The Garden Of Years (deeply involving and introspective, old prog done in a new way)
23. Metal Church : XI (Metal Church simply doing what they do - US metal. One of their best)
24. Lee Abraham : The Seasons Turn (respected prog sideman continues to make a name for himself. Modern yet retro and quite wonderful)
25. Aynsley Lister : Eyes Wide Open (a return to the more commercially blues driven side of Equilibrium. Magnificent)
26. Blackberry Smoke : Like An Arrow (less immediately catchy than their previous albums, give it time and Blackberry Smoke still hit hard)
27. Dec Burke : Book Of Secrets (bringing a host of ideas and styles to his modern prog, Burke still writes memorable tunes and then some)
28. The Pineapple Thief : Your Wilderness (TPT impress with their commercial prog, even if they seem to still be searching for their 'own' sound)
29. D Generation : Nothing Is Anywhere (amazing comeback from long forgotten melodic sleazesters)
30. Shotgun Revolution : All This Could Be Yours (bristling, attitude packed modern rock. Lovely!)
31. Last In Line : Heavy Crown (ex-Dio men deliver in style. RIP Jimmy)
32. Elephants Of Scotland : The Perfect Map (another enigmatic slice of rangey prog from these non-Scots)
33. Tilt : Hinterland (members of Fish's backing band step into the light� and how!)
34. Chariots Of The Gods : Ages Unsung (aggressive and abrasive metal that barks and bites)
35. Flotsam & Jetsam : Flotsam & Jetsam (another vintage US metal act in top form)
36. The Golden Grass : Coming Back Again (retro yet never backward looking, a simply wonderful 70s slice of rock)
37. Snake Head Ritual : Ceremonial Thunder (American hard rock blues of the highest calibre)
38. Ray Wilson : Song For A Friend (one of two heartfelt and beautiful albums from ex-Genesis man)
39. Christopher Shayne : Turning Stones (modern country rock is 'in' and Shayne does it very well)
40. Ray Wilson : Makes Me Think Of Home (and here's the second excellent effort from a hugely underrated voice)
41. Illustr8ors : Photopia (adding contemporary touches to their classic rock roots, a new band springs forth from an old one (BlackWolf))
42. Magnum : Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (possibly their best since their comeback)
43. Riverside : Eye Of The Soundscape (Riverside move on after the shock death of Piotr Grudzinski with an ambient rock affair)
44. Section A : Wall Of Silence (hard to find progressive metal album from an extremely talented band)
45. PelleK : A Marvelous Method Of Reclusion (a prog concept about the mind and how it works that reveals true inner depth of sound and word)
46. Blaze Bayley : Infinite Entanglement (it's always British metal you get from BB, but his latest is up there with Silicon Messiah)
47. Palace Of The Kings : Valles Marineras (punchy rock that strides forward while looking back)
48. Bastille : Wild World (not the pop-pap many think, Bastille write deep, dense pop/rock/electronic pieces with drums and choruses to die for)
49. Whitford St Holmes : Reunion (an unexpected return that almost lives up to this pair's classic debut from so many moons ago)
50. Blindside Blues Band : Journey To The Stars (blues and guitars - guitars and blues. What's not to like?)

REISSUES/COMPILATIONS/FROM THE VAULTS

1. Jim Lea : Therapy - 2 disc
2. Galahad : When Worlds Collide - best of
3. Fish : Fellini Days - 2 disc
4. The Answer : Rise-10th Anniversary - 2 disc
5. How We Live : Dry Land - + bonus tracks
6. Saxon : Eagles And Dragons - 9 album vinyl box
7. Graham Bonnet : Line Up - + bonus tracks
8. Super Vintage : Rock n Roll For Your Soul - compilation
9. Blackthorne : Afterlife - + bonus tracks
10. Anthony Phillips : Private Parts & Pieces V - VIII - 5 disc set includes a disc of bonus tracks
11. Steven Wilson : Transience - compilation
12. Bruce Springsteen : Chapter & Verse - best of/vault
13. Uriah Heep : Words In The Distance - 2 studio/1 live CD box
14. Rose Tattoo : Assault & Battery - + bonus tracks
15. King Diamond : The Spider's Lullabye + bonus tracks
16. Helloween : Ride The Sky - The Very Best Of 1985-1998 - best of
17. Anthony Phillips : Sides - box set + bonus tracks
18. Blackthorne : Don't Kill The Thrill - vault
19. Kamelot : Where I Reign - The Very Best Of 1995-2003 - best of
20. Tygers Of Pan Tang : Noises From The Cathouse - + bonus tracks

LIVE ALBUM/DVD

1. KISS : Rocks Vegas
2. Arena : XX
3. Bret Ellis Band : Electrified Live
4. Thunder : All You Can Eat
5. KIX : Can't Stop The Show
6. The Wildhearts : Never Outdrunk Never Outsung
7. Rainbow : Boston 1981
8. The Neal Morse Band : Alive Again
9. Lucifer's Friend : Live @ Sweden Rock 2015
10. Joe Lynn Turner : Street Of Dreams-Boston 1985

EPs

1. Stan Bush : Warrior
2. Illustr8ors : Illustr8ors
3. Autograph : Louder
4. Power Quest : Face The Raven
5. The Main Grains : Don't Believe Everything You Think
6. Ghost : Popestar
7. Half Past Four : Land Of The Blind
8. Banshee : Say My Name
9. The Black Hounds : Gallows
10. The Mighty Handful : Still Sitting In Danny's Car 3 - Rubicon
11. New Device : Devils On The Run
12. As Lions : Aftermath
13. Touchstone : Lights From The Sky
14. Red Cain : Red Cain
15. Damon Johnson : Echo
16. Deep Imagination : Carefully Kept Secret
17. Into The Fire : Into The Fire
18. Atom Heart : Into The Night
19. Skarlett Riot : Sentience
20. Twisted : Dancin' On Chaos

LIVE BAND

1. Symphony X
2. Shinedown
3. Joe Bonamassa
4. Tesseract
5. Muse
6. Jeff Lynne's ELO
7. Tremonti
8. CJ Wildheart
9. The Contortionist
10. The Feeling (British Grand Prix set)
11. Alter Bridge
12. Bastille
13. Myrath
14. Bloodbound
15. Gojira
16. Halestorm
17. The Ginger Wildheart Band
18. Sabaton
19. Black Stone Cherry
20. Massive Wagons

NICHOLAS FRANCO

BEST OF 2015

1. VEKTOR : Terminal Redux
2. DESTROYER 666 : Wildfire
3. WODE : Wode
4. FORTERESSE : Th�mes Pour La R�bellion
5. DRAUGNIM : Vulturine
6. STILLA : Skuggflock
7. INSOMNIUM : Winter's Gate
8. SKUGGSJ� : A Piece For Mind & Matter
9. BORKNAGAR : Winter Thrice
10. BEHEXEN : The Poisonous Path
11. WITHERSCAPE : The Northern Sanctuary
12. HYPERION : Seraphical Euphony
13. WALDGEFL�STER : Ruinen
14. UADA : Devoid of Light
15. DARKTHRONE : Arctic Thunder
16. IHSAHN : Arktis
17. HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE : Dead Revolution
18. BAT : Wings of Chains
19. OLD CORPSE ROAD : Of Campfires & Evening Mists
20. WINTERFYLLETH : The Dark Hereafter
21. TESTAMENT : The Brotherhood of the Snake
22. THRAWSUNBLAT : Metachthonia
23. MOONSORROW : Jumalten Aika
24. NERVOSA : Agony
25. IN THE WOODS : Pure

BEST NON METAL ALBUM RELEASE:

Wardruna - Runaljod/Ragnarok

HONORABLE MENTION:

Cobalt - Slow Forever
Dark Tranquillity - Atoma
Nordjevel - Nordjevel

DISHONORABLE MENTION:

In Flames - Suckfest
Metallica - Suckfest II - The Suckening

Summarized List Of The Top 50 CDs, From All Of The SoT Staff

1. Kansas : The Prelude Implicit
2. Opeth : Sorceress
3. Fates Warning : Theories of Flight
4. The Neal Morse Band : The Similitude Of A Dream
5. Haken : Affinity
6. TESTAMENT : The Brotherhood of the Snake
7. Alter Bridge : The Last Hero
8. Glenn Hughes : Resonate
9. Meshuggah : The Violent Sleep of Reason
10. Rival Sons : Hollow Bones
11. Redemption : The Art Of Loss
12. Blackberry Smoke : Like An Arrow
13. Devin Towsend Project : Transcendence
14. Mob Rules : Tales From Beyond
15. INSOMNIUM : Winter's Gate
16. Megadeth : Dystopia
17. Epica : The Holographic Principle
18. HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE : Dead Revolution
19. Destroyer 666 : Wildfire
20. The Mute Gods : Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
21. Brainstorm : Scary Creatures
22. Santana : IV
23. Flotsam And Jetsam : Flotsam And Jetsam
24. Frost* : Falling Satellites
25. Magnum : Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies
26. Myrath : Legacy
27. Marillion : F.E.A.R.
28. Big Big Train : Folklore
29. Gojira : Magma
30. Karmakanic : Dot
31. Avantasia : Ghostlights
32. IHSAHN : Arktis
33. Serenity : Dim Days Of Dolor
34. Theocracy : Ghost Ship
35. Spiritual Beggars : Sunrise To Sundown
36. BORKNAGAR : Winter Thrice
37. Evergrey : The Storm Within
38. John Wesley : a way you'll never be
39. Obscura : Akroasis
40. The Pretty Reckless : Who You Selling For
41. Metal Church : XI
42. Anthrax : For All Kings
43. BAT : Wings of Chains
44. Tyketto : Reach
45. Tilt : Hinterland
46. Riverside : Love, Fear, and the Time Machine
47. The Pineapple Thief : Your Wilderness
48. MOONSORROW : Jumalten Aika
49. Amon Amarth : Jomsviking
50. Primal Fear : Rulebreaker
51. Van Der Graaf Generator : Do Not Disturb
52. Abbath : Abbath
53. Rhapsody of Fire : Into the Legend
54. The Golden Grass : Coming Back Again
55. Hawkwind : The Machine Stops
56. The Dead Daisies : Make Some Noise
57. Gandalf's Fist : The Clockwork Fable
58. Lycus : Chasms
59. VEKTOR : Terminal Redux
60. Whiskey Myers : Mud