That time of year again where I share with you guys some of my favorite albums of 2014. These lists are always tough because you no doubt forget something and to make the order is so tough. But any list is done to inspire discussion and debate so have at it! Also I will discuss these albums in detail and more top releases of 2014 in my Year in Review podcast posting 1/1. Also music from all of these albums and many many more will be featured in my annual Year in Review radio special debuting the weekend of 1/2 on all syndicated FM outlets. So important that new music is supported if we want artists to keep making it. Especially in this day and age where it is so hard for it to be exposed and played and get any real attention and sales. Feel free to post your own lists as comments to this post. Happy Holidays to all!
1: California Breed
Sucks that Jason Bonham only lasted 2 live shows with this band (one I hosted in NYC), but Glenn Hughes and Andrew Watt continue on. Just a monster of an in your face heavy rock album, great songs, grooves and the amazing vocals of Glenn who is ageless and sings circles around those half his age. Just a beast of an album that should have gotten so much more support and love. I hope the band lasts. All Falls Down, Sweet Tea, The Way, Spit You Out among my favorites.
2: Ace Frehley – Space Invader
Way better album than anyone could have ever expected from the original spaceman. It even ranked #7 in Classic Rocks top 50 in the UK. If you love Ace’s sound and character this album is just killer. Great hooks and Ace is singing (by Ace standards) better than he has in a long time. A great return from Ace that captures the classic Kiss sound and has a loose concept that takes you into his very spacey world! A few songs on this album that should be all over the radio, but we know how that works these days sadly. Can say that about so many albums! So many songs that stick in your head for days on this album.
3: Judas Priest- Redeemer Of Souls
This album really came alive for me after seeing the band live. Sword Of Damocles, Halls Of Valhalla, Dragonaut, Crossfire, all classic Priest! Good to have one of the genres most important bands making new music and playing live still!
4: Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators- World On Fire
Slash and the boys on a roll with the second full length album to feature his current band. As good as straight up hard rock gets. Well played, produced and it is still anyone’s guess how Myles can effortlessly juggle two major bands this well. And props to Brent Fitz and Todd Kerns, two unsung heroes of this band but great assets. It’s a very long album so takes some time to absorb but worth the time.
5: Accept- Blind Rage
Album number 3 of the Tornillo era Accept rebirth. Wolf Hoffman has to be one of metals most underrated players. Killer riffs, tone, production and massive songs. More classic modern Accept! Hope for more US dates in 2015.
6: Overkill- White Devil Armory
30 years into their recorded history and this band is doing some of their best work live and on album. Relentless new classic thrash from one of the genres most underrated bands. They make albums and are as good live as any of the thrash bands out there. PIG is my favorite on this one.
7: Red Dragon Cartel
This came out at the start of 2014 and I almost forgot about it. The long awaited return of Jake E Lee. Eclectic guest singers like Robin Zander, Paul DiAnno, Maria Brink and more, plus lead singer Darren Smith who had a rough first live show but has settled in nicely and has the pipes to cover all of Jake’s career. There is something on here for everyone who loves Jake and hard rock music. Was good to hear him playing again. Props to former band member Ron Mancuso who had a big role in this band coming together and the making of this album. Great first step back for Jake that hopefully he continues to run with.
8: KXM
One of the MANY “supergroup” bands but this one was really good! Dug Pnnick, George Lynch, Ray Luzier. Massive grooves and great playing and vocals. Sadly the story of so many of these bands seems to be the case here; no real promotion behind this from the members since they couldn’t do live shows or any real group activities because of their schedules, which sucks because this music begs to be heard live. Let’s hope they find some time to focus on this in 2015 because it deserves it. Faith Is A Room my favorite track.
9: Kyng- Burn The Serum
Great young trio from LA with their second album. Everything I love about hard rock. Great riffs and vocals. Saw them live at Rocklahoma and they just killed it. A favorite new band to watch for sure. Electric Halo favorite track.
10: Tesla- Simplicity
One of my favorite bands from the 80’s, still making great hard rock music. Would have loved a few more heavy songs on this but Tesla always had many sides and all are on display here. More great no nonsense hard rock from one of the best to make it from the 80’s.
Other cool stuff: Exodus- Blood In Blood Out (Zetro back!), Rival Sons- Great Western Valkyrie (love these guys but the distortion on the sound and vox a little much which kept it out of my top 10), Kix- Rock Your Face Off (first new album in 20 years plus), Skid Row- Rise Of The Damnation Army (best new Skids tunes in a while, but just an EP), Dio- This is Your Life (GREAT tribute album for a great cause, only not in my Top 10 because I don’t usually include tributes), Farmikos- LOVE this new music from Joe Holmes and can’t wait for the proper release. Only reason not in my top 10 is because it doesn’t really come out until 2015.
Best reissues: Zeppelin titles and anything on Rock Candy, check them out at www.rockcandyrecords.com . Also the Kiss Love Gun special edition was cool. as was Bon Jovi New Jersey special edition.
Best book: Joe Perry- Rocks, My Life In And Out Of Aerosmith.
I’m sure there are TONS of things I am forgetting but hope you like my list. Much more on my radio show and podcast! Happy Holidays to all.
Man, you nailed this list! However, Im not really a fan of KXM or Kyng but I still think this list is right on the money. My list tho is a little different and adds a couple bands you left out.
1. California Breed – Reason this gets the #1 slot is for its massive sound both musically and vocally. However, I prefer Black Country Communion to California Breed. Nonetheles this record is really good and everything is completely fresh and different from BCC. It really upsets me tho that Jason left after 2 shows. California Breed won’t be the same without Jason and probably won’g feel right without him unless Glenn yet again does a whole new band.
2. Telsa – I’ve become such a HUGE freakin’ fan thanks to hearing about them from you Eddie. They kill it on this record. I however love the lesser heavy songs and felt it was a nice mix of soft and heavy and was totally a Tesla style record by not having more heavy stuff as you would of liked.
3. Ace Frehley – Ace is back and better than ever. I love how he incorporates the 70’s Kiss style with a more modern flair. Ace being one of my all-time favorite guitarists, of course i’m gonna love this ablim. Only Ace can do it like this!
4. Accept – Thanks to TMS and you Eddie, I discovered this band and love them. This record blew me away with its heaviness and balls.
5. Slash with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – love his work with Myles and the band. Slash is one of my favorite guitarists. This album rocks.
6. Overkill – Have always heard of this band but wasn’t until you mentioned them and played them and I heard the interviews with Bobby that I really started to get into this band and I don’t hear anyone doing thrash metal like this anymore. I love this record and the band and of course Bobby is hilarious!
7. Slipknot – 12 words says it all about this record… “Cut, cut, cut me up and fuck, fuck, fuck me up”. They nailed their sorta comeback without Paul Gray & Joey Jordison. Its get up and mosh time!
8. Hellyeah – Vinney Paul and Chad Gray make some fucking awesome music and this band kills it once again!
9. Judas Priest – Never been a fan of Judas Priest till Richie Faulkner joined the band and this album came out. He’s a bit more heavy and more of a new school metal guitarist than K.K. Downing which I prefer for Judas Priest. For whatever reason I still can’t get into old school Judas Priest stuff but this album kicks some major ass!
10. Red Dragon Cartel – 5 words – Jake. E. Lee. Is. Back! I didn’t realize he was the guy behind the guitar for my all time favorite Ozzy song, “Shot in the Dark” until seeing Jake on TMS and I looked up the 2 albums he did and there it was, Shot in the Dark on ‘The Ultimate Sin’ album. This made me a huge fan of his. This album absolutely rocks!
This list is purely Hard Rock and Metal but if I were to add other genres outside of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal, Bruce Springsteen & Foo Fighters would be in the top 10.
Honorable mentions: AC/DC (only reason this isn’t in my top 10 is I havent listened to it much cause it came out at tail end of 2014 and I haven’t heard the big massive hooks they usually do like on the last two records Black Ice & Stiff Upper Lip), John 5, Black Label Society, Kix, Anti-Mortem, Down, Fozzy, Mastodon, Farmikos (same reason as you, not a proper release, otherwise would be top 10), Dio-This is Your Life Tribute, The Winery Dogs (This would been Top 10 had it not been a live album but its one of my all-time favorite live albums)” lol
Tyler, if you liked this Overkill album, you HAVE to get the previous two as well.
Tyler, D. Comiskey is absolutely right, if you liked WHITE DEVIL ARMORY you’ll like the previous two albums, especially the last one, THE ELECTRIC AGE. You should dig into their past to. They’ve been around pushing close to 30 years and they have been one of the most consistently great thrash bands ever.
I do have The Electric Age album plus Wrecking Everything and Wrecking Your Neck live albums. I also made a playlist of Eddie Trunk’s Essential Overkill tracks from his book and made a cover for it. I’ ve done that for a bunch of artsts in his 2 books and made covers for them as well. Overkill is awesome. Wish I had of known about them when I was a teenager cause I would of ate them up!
You much check out Nothing More. Best new band I have seen/heard live in a very long time. Their self-titled 2014 album is fan-effing-tastic!
Wow, people. Just WOW. How the HELL does Machine Head’s new album NOT make everyone’s top FIVE?? “Bloodstone & Diamonds” is a masterpiece. I haven’t stopped listening to it since the day it came out. I’d say outside of Priest, Overkill, Accept and Teramaze, this is one of the best albums of the year. There’s no way anyone, in their right mind, can tell me that Ace’s new album can hold a candle to B&D. Simply laughable.
1. Mastodon – Once More ’round The Sun
2. Mournful Congregation – Concrescence of the Sophia
3. Tripytkon – Melana Chasmata
4. Helms Alee – Sleepwalking Sailors
5. Electric Wizard – Time To Die
6. Pallbearer – Foundations Of Burden
7. Eyehategod – Eyehategod
8. Crowbar – Symmetry In Black
9. Dead Congregation – Promulgation of the Fall
10 October 31 – Bury The Hatchet
I am very surprised AC DC is not on the list I think it is a very good album. Sweet Candy I think is awesome!!! As well as the 2 leadoff tracks.
ACDC should be on this list at the top…they never disappoint and with all the craziness they’ve had leading up to the albums release, they really showed how freakin great they are…