2008: The Way We Saw It

Hooray for heavy metal! Well, technically “heavy music” (that’s what I requested from the below guests when I asked for their Top 5 lists), but nonetheless, below is what myself and some other local characters of varying pedigrees (musicians, critics, media personalities, etc.) thought were the best heavy records of ’08. If you can remember all the way back to last year, you’ll see a few of the same names (like I’m not going to have Scott Davidson again, even though he included Death Magnetic this year) and some newbies to try to mix things up. Also, because I’m a complete egomaniac, I briefly summarized my picks.

Oh, and I also went in reverse alphabetical order so poor Metal Haven Mark wouldn’t have to be last two years in a row. I’m still first, though, of course.

Trevor Fisher, Illinois Entertainer
1. Nachtmystium Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 (Century Media) Best moments are jaw-dropping.
2. Grand Magus Iron Will (Rise Above) “Like The Oar Strikes The Water” is the best lead-off track of the year.
3. Testament The Formation Of Damnation (Nuclear Blast) Can I say it? Best Testament record ever?
4. TYR Land (Napalm) Best songwriters in overcrowded Viking metal scene.
5. Lair Of The Minotaur War Metal Battle Master (Southern Lord) Simple, heavy, and fucking evil.

Mark Weglarz, Metal Haven
1. Dismember Dismember (Regain)
2. Electric Wizard Witchcult Today (Candlelight)
3. Exmortus In Hatreds Flame (Heavy Artillery)
4. Nifelheim Envoy Of Lucifer (Regain)
5. Tyrant Reclaim The Flame (Listenable)

Mark Sugar, Trials
1. Ihsahn Angl (Candlelight)
2. Byzantine Oblivion Beckons (Prosthetic)
3. Gojira The Way Of All Flesh (Prosthetic)
4. Misery Index Traitors (Relapse)
5. King’s X XV (Inside Out)

Rodney Pawlak, Chicago Metal Factory
1. Enslaved Vertebrae (Nuclear Blast)
2. Melvins Nude With Boots (Ipecac)
3. Earth The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull (Southern Lord)
4. Nachtmystium Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 (Century Media)
5. Dub Trio Another Sound Is Dying (Ipecac)

Mike Meyer, Illinois Entertainer
1. Nachtmystium Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 (Century Media)
2. Opeth Watershed (Roadrunner)
3. Gojira The Way Of All Flesh (Prosthetic)
4. Sculptured Embodiment (The End)
5. Gigan The Order Of The False Eye (Napalm)

Pete Manzella, Maggot Twat
1. Meshuggah Obzen (Nuclear Blast)
2. Dead For Days Disassociated From Reality (Epitomite)
3. Cardiac Arrest Cadaverous Presence (Epitomite)
4. Enslaved Vertebrae (Nuclear Blast)
5. Origin Antithesis (Relapse)

Melissa Koehl, Reptoids
1. Sweet Cobra Forever (Blackmarket Activities)
2. Marnie Stern This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is It (Kill Rock Stars)
3. Warbringer War Without End (Century Media)
4. Boris Smile (Southern Lord)
5. Torche Meanderthal (Hydra Head)

Blake Judd, Nachtmystium
1. Earth The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull (Southern Lord)
2. Genghis Tron Board Up The House (Relapse)
3. Torche Meanderthal (Hydra Head)
4. Wovenhand Ten Stones (Sounds Familyre)
5. Leviathan Massive Conspiracy Against All Life (Moribund)

Mark Hoffman, Bible Of The Devil
1. Nachtmystium Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 (Century Media)
2. Graveyard Graveyard (Tee Pee)
3. Valkyrie Man Of Two Visions (Noble Origins)
4. The Gates Of Slumber Conqueror (Profound Lore)
5. Hour Of 13 Hour Of 13 (Shadow Kingdom)

Steve Forstneger, Illinois Entertainer
1. Testament The Formation Of Damnation (Nuclear Blast)
2. Century Black Ocean (Prosthetic)
3. Russian Circles Station (Suicide Squeeze)
4. The Sword Gods Of The Earth (Kemado)
5. Lair Of The Minotaur War Metal Battle Master (Southern Lord)

Scott Davidson, “Rebel Radio”
1. Testament The Formation Of Damnation (Nuclear Blast)
2. Meshuggah Obzen (Nuclear Blast)
3. Cavalera Conspiracy Inflikted (Roadrunner)
4. Motorhead Motörizer (Steamhammer/SPV)
5. Metallica Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.)

Chris Black, Superchrist
1. Enforcer Into The Night (Heavy Artillery)
2. Enslaved Vertebrae (Nuclear Blast)
3. The Hellacopters Head Off (Phantom Sound)
4. Midnight Farewell To Hell (Nuclear War Now)
5. Motorhead Motörizer (Steamhammer/SPV)

Mat Arluck, Sweet Cobra
1. Akimbo Jersey Shores (Neurot)
2. Insect Warfare World Extermination (Earache)
3. Trap Them Seizures In Barren Praise (Deathwish, Inc.)
4. Sacrilege B.C. Party With God reissue (November Fire)
5. Dismember Dismember (Regain)

mosh@illinoisentertainer.com

– Trevor Fisher

Category: Caught In A Mosh, Columns, Monthly