Old favourite bands of mine didn't really steal the show with their albums. Bon Jovi released their dreaded "country album", which might have been a good career move, but it still sucked, and I consider it their weakest album so far. Even worse was the new TNT album, which didn't work for me at all. The "Ok, but I was expecting more"-category was very crowded last year, with bands like Kamelot, Magnum, Lillian Axe and Sonata Arctica releasing decent albums but not quite matching my high expectations. Oh well.
In our household, most of 2007 was dominated by one little "artist" called Alexa, our daughter who was born in September. Rather than attending many concerts, we spent the summer months taking things easy. We did manage to see a few great gigs during the winter, and then again after Alexa was born we did attend some gigs. Well, only Stryper for me, Mira saw Crash Diet too. The shows we attended were all excellent, and I'm forever grateful that I managed to see both Jeff Scott Soto with Journey and John West with Royal Hunt - both bands have changed singers since. If Kamelot would have sacked their singer too, then we would have gotten superstitious... Still, these gig experiences pale in comparison to the show that took place in September - Alexa's birth, which was something that words can't describe!
I have a feeling that this year won't be quite musically dry as 2007, with plenty of interesting releases in the pipeline. Brother Firetribe, House Of Lords, Leverage and Khymera seem like safe choices, but hopefully there are many more great albums, possibly some new bands too. Who knows, even old geezers like Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Journey might pull a rabbit out of their magic hats... or at least some decent songs!
Urban: 2007 will probably go down in history as one of the worst years of rock.
Seriously, not since the utterly gloomy mid-90's, have we seen such a small
sellection of CDs. In fact, I had to include some POP/Rock albums just to make up
for the lack of decent rock. Frontiers had one of their worst release years ever
(their best release: Primal Fear), MTM went belly up, so did Majestic, and I'm sure
it's just the beginning of more trouble the lays ahead.
The majors actually saved the year as Sony, Warner, and Universal, are
responsible for a majority of the goodies (for once). 12 out of my Top-20 albums are
the work of major labels. Blimey, I never thought I'd see that day again. The
'discovery' of the year, SKindred, are a bunch of mad Metal/Ska rockers. Scorpions
recorded their best album since the heydays. Manic Street Preachers, Foo Fighters,
Coheed & Cambria, and Within Temptation, did all great albums on a major label
recording.
Stan Bush and Pride Of Lions were the only AOR albums to talk about (#9 & #15).
The 'comeback' of the year will have to go to Rik Emmett and his Airtime release
(what a Triumph!). Song of the year? Probably... Rihanna (Umbrella) or Rob Thomas
(Little Wonders). Here's hoping for 2008 - the comeback of rock? no?
Mira: For me, the Rock year 2007 was unfortunately a bit dull, though it had its' ups and downs as well. There were hardly any really good albums released. Many albums reached only the average level - but that's it. Among the new releases there were a couple of highlights though - those being e.g. the new albums of Gotthard, Nocturnal Rites, Scorpions...
Referring to the Mad Max's song title we became also "The Family Of Rock"! A sweet baby girl who was born in Sept. has been making my life busy ever since. Despite of this huge change in my life, I managed to see a few awesome gigs. Let's start with Royal Hunt. Oh, what a great, positive and talented band with a superb singer (or was back then). Their first visit in Finland happened during one of the most coldest days of last winter but that did not affect to their performance a bit. But soon after their visit in Finland we were notified that John West would leave the band. That was really sad news... In addition to Royal Hunt's great gig, I was lucky to witness a few other memorable gigs as well, those being Stryper, Journey and Crashdïet. It was absolutely great to see those guys in stripes in my hometown! Not only Royal Hunt but also Journey lost a real talented vocalist last year. Luckily I managed to see JSS with Journey - but as we know, it was nice as long as it lasted... Re-formed Crashdïet introduced their new vocalist, Olliver at their gig in Turku. What an energic show from Olliver, I've hardly ever seen anything like that! As you see - year 2007 had its' ups and downs. Really looking forward what year 2008 will bring along,
Kimmo: 2007 will go down in history books as an unremarkable year for "our kind of music". There were a few strong efforts from artists who have been around for some time (Stan Bush, Nocturnal Rites, Robin Beck, PC69), but where are the new bands? On my list, I believe there are three "debutants", Cinder Road, Craxy Lixx and Daughtry. Not much to shout about.
The staff of RockUnited.Com has voted again! This is our official Album Chart of 2007, calculated from the indvidual charts of the staff members by using complicated mathematic formulas!
THE ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2007:
1. Stan Bush: In This Life (Frontiers)
AOR isn't dead, it's a timeless art form, proves Mr. Bush with his superb album. Who would've guessed that Stan The Man would release an album that matches the brilliance of his classic "Stan Bush & Barrage" album in 2007? RockUnited.Com review: "Call it AOR, soft-rock, cruising music, power-pop - it really doesn't matter in the end as there's only two kinds of music - good and bad. "In This life" is probably as good as it gets for this kind of music in the year of 2007."
[read the full review]
2. Gotthard - Domino Effect (Nuclear Blast)
Sometimes certain releases slip through our hands, if no promos are provided. That's the case with "Domino Effect" - obviously most of us have bought copies but nobody noticed that there's no review on the site. Here's the album in a nutshell: excellent melodic hard rock, great ballads, some straightforward AC/DC'ish tracks, and all this performed by one of the finest bands of the genre.
3. Allen/Lande - The Revenge (Frontiers)
RockUnited.Com review: "It's not all that easy to write a follow up album to a success story such as the first Allen/Lande CD. Regarded as of the better Melodic Heavy Metal albums of the millenium to many folks and fans of the genre...The Revenge" is a damn solid second album, not quite as explosive as the debut, but still pleasing." [read the full review]
4. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play (Spinefarm)
RockUnited.Com review: "I think that “Dark Passion Play” can only cement Nightwish's reputation as the band that all other operatic/theatrical gothy type bands want to be. In Anette they have found a singer that can also open up their music to those who were put off by the operatic strains of whatsername (like me), whilst retaining the theatricality and pompousness that somehow works within the excellent songwriting and arrangements. It's an album of great maturity and depth that deserves to be savored by anyone who likes rock or metal music." [read the full review]
5. Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin (Century Media)
Holy Cow, another one that we didn't review! Sweden's melodic metal merchants have released album after album of strong material, and some of us think that they've never been as good as they are right now. Again, the album in a nutshell: heavy, yet gloriously melodic metal with awesome choruses. The production has a bit of a modern, edgy vibe.
6. Scorpions - Humanity Hour 1 (SonyBMG)
7. Pink Cream 69 - In10sity (Frontiers)
8. Threshold - Dead Reckoning (Nuclear Blast)
9. Rush - Snakes & Arrows (Atlantic)
9. Within Temptation - The Heart Of Everything (SonyBMG)
11. Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos (Roadrunner)
12. Coheed & Cambria - No World For Tomorrow (Columbia)
13. Shylock - Devotion (MusicBuyMail/Artist Service)
14. The Ladder - Sacred (Escape Music)
14. Robin Beck - Livin' On A Dream (Frontiers)
16. Skindred - Roots Rock Riot (Atlantic)
17. Amorphis - Silent Waters (Nuclear Blast)
17. Last Autumn's Dream - Saturn Skyline (Escape)
17. Manic Street Preachers - Send Away The Tigers (SonyBMG)
17. REO Speedwagon - Find Your Own Way Home (Mailboat Records)
 |
|
Kimmo:
1. Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin (Century Media) 11. Gotthard - Domino Effect Songs Top 40: 1. Gotthard - The Call 11. Jaded Heart - Sinister Mind 21. Crazy Lixx - Heroes Are Forever 31. Cinder Road - One The Cover Song Of The Year: Northern Kings - Don't Stop Believin' The "it was good while it lasted" award: Journey with Jeff Scott Soto The "There! We showed ya!" award: Nightwish The "Damn! He can belt out! " award: John West (Royal Hunt... well, ex-Royal Hunt) |
Urban:
1. Skindred - Roots Rock Riot (Atlantic)
11.The View - Hats Off To The Buskers (1965 Records)
21. Saxon - The Inner Sanctum (SPV)
30 Songs: Rob Thomas - Little Wonders
|
Mira: 1. Gotthard - Domino Effect (Nuclear Blast) 11. Loverboy - Just Getting Started (Rockstar) Songs Top 40: 1. Gotthard - The Call 11. Stan Bush - I Will Never Fall 21. Joe Lynn Turner - Blood Red Sky 31. Ted Poley - More Than Goodbye |
Satu: 1. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play (Spinefarm)
11. Evidence One - The Sky Is The Limit (AFM)
BUBBLING UNDER: Kotipelto, Helloween, Action, Essence Of Sorrow, Crashdiet, Seven Tears, Saxon, Danny Vaughn, Reo Speedwagon, Twilightning, Bloodbound, Eldritch, Pride Of Lions, Ari Koivunen, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, Human Zoo, Stormzone ALBUMS THAT ARE STILL PUZZLING: Sonata Arctica - Unia
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2007:
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Alan: Albums 1. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play 11. Coheed & Cambria - No World For Tomorrow |
Martien: Albums Top 10: 1. Rush - Snakes & Arrows Best DVDs: 1. Queensryche – Live at the Moore Best song: 1. Porcupine Tree – Anesthetize Best concert: 1. Rush – 15/16 October, Rotterdam, The Netherlands |
