Top 5 best album covers of 2011

1
Roadsaw-s/t

A great use of a simple image and basic colors, but the results are impressive.

2
Weedeater-Jason the dragon

Metal covers with dragons are commonplace, but many are pure cheese because they show a close-up of a snarling beast that looks poor if it's not drawn well. However here we see the dragon from a distance and can take in all the detail.

3
Saxon-Call to arms

Simple yet classic.

4
Enablers-Blown realms and stalled explosions

Album covers with skulls are commonplace. I found this one to be basic yet intriguing.

5
Graviton-Massless

A fine combination of colors and depth.

Top albums of 2010 I have yet to hear, but want to

Continuing with some more year end lists are the top albums of 2010 that I want to hear, but just have not gotten around to getting a copy yet.

Triptykon-Eparistera Daimones
Tom G. Warrior's new band is one I would love to here, but just have not bought it yet.

High on fire-Snakes for the divine
I had my finger on the buy button a few times online this year, but never clicked to purchase.

Electric Wizard-Black Masses
Been a fan for years, but the high price tag and lack of funds have kept me from it so far.

Crashdiet-Generation Wild
Probably not missing out on much, but my occasional love of glam has me interested.

Accept-Blood of the nations
I am interested, but unlikely I'd pay much to hear Accept without UDO.

2009 albums that I missed out on

Now I am fortunate to hear lots of albums each year, but every year that either I don't hear until the next year or they come out in the final weeks of the year after I already have my top albums list prepared. So here are the top five that fall into that category.

Post Mortem-Letters from the dead
I reveiwed this one at the tail end last year, but it arrived days after I posted my top albums of 2009. Fantastic effort and if I had heard it two weeks earliers it would have made it into my top ten of 2009.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2009/12/post-mortem-message-from-dead.html


Mean Streak-Metal Slave
I read several reviews on this one in the fall of 2009 and should have leapt at it right away, but did not here it until early 2010. Outstanding classic metal.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/01/mean-streak-metal-slave.html


Dawnrider-Two
Fantastic doom that I didn't hear until early 2010.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/01/dawnrider-two.html


Lord of the grave-Raunacht
More great doom.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/01/lord-of-grave-raunacht.html


Behold the monolith
Yes, even more doom.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/04/behold-monolith-st.html

Top five overrated hard rock/metal guitarists

I was asked about this so here they are. The top five overrated hard rock/metal guitarists are...

5-George Lynch

Alright "Tooth and nail" was a very good album and Dokken had some other good songs. However Lynch was often more flash than substance. He was one of many guys in the 80's who got labeled a "guitar god" just because of a few solos.

4-Zakk Wylde

I have never understood his appeal. The first two Ozzy albums he played on were good, but the rest of the Ozzy albums and most of BLS stuff is crap that plenty of guitarists could have played. He has spent the past two decades riding more on hype and image than on actual contributions.

3-Joe Satriani

He plays lots of notes and he taught Steve Vai and others who went on to better things. However, he is a boring writer and much of his material is cold and lacks emotion.

2-Dimebag Darrell

Pantera along with Metallica did keep metal in the eyes of the mainstream during the 1990's. However that was Pantera as a unit and no one in the band was any kind of standout. No disrepect, but Darrell was playing very simple riffs without adding any great tone or feeling to them. Some were good and some were very mediocre, but he certainly never made the kind of contribution to earn him the guitar legend status that has been given to him.

1-Yngwie Malmsteen

Okay, Mamlsteen's playing helped that Steeler album to be above average plus the first Rising Force album was decent and Odyssey was good. However he spent far too much his 25 plus year career playing the same material and thriving on being self-indulgent. I hear a few seconds of much his material and I am like "ho-hum". He can play fast, but it's often over the top and even lifeless at times. While other guys like Steve Vai make the guitar look fun, Malmsteen is still striking poses and trying to ride on the label of being a guitar virtuoso.