Okay then, time to wrap this up. Here are my top four albums of 2012, in final order..
4.
Hostsonaten --- The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Part One
Italian prog rockers Hostsonaten return with a truly sublime album. The sheer scope of it, the ambition, to take Samuel Taylor Coledridge's classic epic poem and fit it to music is immense, but to do it verbatim? I am in awe of these guys, mostly their driving force, Fabio Zuffanti, who put it all together. They got everything right, from the atmosphere of foreboding and doom through to horror and death, to the different vocalists used, the utilisation of everything from flute and mandolin to violin and even bagpipes, and the music just completely complements the lyrics. Of course, you may not get as much out of it if you don't know the poem, but even then, I'd recommend running up the text and having it before you as you listen: it's quite easy to follow.
Wonderful album. Everything shines on it, from lyrics to production, and there's no need even to Woo-hoo! it, as there are no bad parts. Broken into five tracks, labelled part 1-4 with the opener being the Prologue, it's only the first half of the poem, the first seven stanzas, with the conclusion to come later this year. Can't wait! Seriously came close to taking the number one spot.
3.
Marillion --- Sounds that can't be made
I really thought this would be my number one, and by gum it came close! But there was just two other albums beat it out for the top place. Nevertheless, it stands as one of Marillion's finest albums, with an incredible 17-minute opener that you really just have to hear to believe! Everyone's on top form, and after the acoustic "Less is more" I've been waiting to hear new material from Marillion, who haven't had a "proper" album since 2008. Four years, then, but it's certainly been worth waiting for.
Marillion have honed their sound over the years, from the neo-prog/Genesis soundalike of the Fish years, through more straightahead rock and even elements of pop under Steve Hogarth, but now they're turning back in the direction of traditional prog rock with a real modern, up-to-date flavour. The future can only hold the very best for Marillion, and by extension, for us the fans.
Woo-hoo! Everything
D'oh! Nothing
2.
Richie Sambora --- Aftermath of the lowdown
Four years for a new album from Marillion is of course nothing when you consider it's been fifteen since the other half of the Bon Jovi team released his last solo album! Proving how valuable he is to his leader and bandmate Jon, Richie storms back with a truly monumental followup to 1998's "Undiscovered soul", an album reeking of maturity, reflection, realisation and determination.
Working with producer Luke Ebbin, who masterminded Bon Jovi's comeback on the "Crush" album, Sambora rocks, rolls and plays the blues, with some touching ballads and a lot of heartfelt honesty in all the music. You won't find a deeper or more honest album this year, in my opinion.
Woo-hoo! Everything
D'oh! Nothing
and that finally leads us to...
da-da-da-daaaahhhh!
1.
Ten --- Heresy and creed
To say this album totally blew me away would be the understatement of the year. After the frankly disappointing "Stormwarning" of last year, their first album since 2006, Ten have once again reaffirmed my faith in them. Criminally unknown generally, this is a band that takes its music very seriously. From big rocking power epics to gentle piano ballads and everything in between, "Heresy and creed" has the lot.
I tend to judge the better albums of the year by how often I can constantly play and replay them and not get bored. This was one I literally could not stop playing, and had to say to myself after about the twelfth straight spin, look you have to move on to other albums! Well, maybe just once more... I cannot get enough of this album and if it were the only one on my ipod it would be a very long time before I got tired of it.
The core band, the heart of Ten, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Gary Hughes and guitarist John Halliwell are joined by some new faces and some old ones returning, and the whole album is a vindication of the band's seventeen years pumping out the finest melodic metal, AOR and pure rockin' Heaven while everyone ignores them. What a world.
Once I compiled this list, there was only ever going to be one winner. And this is it. Album of the year by a country mile.
Woo-hoo! (What do you expect?) Everything
D'oh! Nothing; even the bonus track is class!
There were many albums that didn't make the cut, and I may add those later on. For now, this is my list, thanks for reading!
