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Bob Ignizio's best albums of 2005

1.      Witchcraft – ‘Firewood’ (Rise Above)

2.      Annihilation Time – ‘II’ (Manic Ride)

3.      Porcupine Tree – ‘Deadwing’ (Lava)

4.      The Decemberists – ‘Picaresque’ (Kill Rock Stars)

5.      Jacknife Powerbombs – ‘Set to Go’ (self released)

6.      Die Monster Die – ‘Only the Dead Will Survive’ (Dr. Cyclops)

7.      Lords of the Highway – ‘Degreaser’ (Rock N Roll Purgatory)

8.      Tarantella – ‘Esqeuletos’ (Alternative Tentacles)

9.  Kreator – ‘Enemy of God’ (Century Media)

10.  Thor – ‘Against the World’ (Smogveil)

11. Opeth - 'Ghost Reveries' (Roadrunner)

12.  Kill the Hippies – ‘Erectospective’ (Rock N Roll Purgatory)

13.  The Bellrays – ‘The Red White and Black’ (Alternative Tentacles)

14.  The Mars Volta – ‘Francis the Mute’ (Universal)

15.  The Atomic Bitchwax – ‘3’ (Meteor City)

16.  Jello Biafra with The Melvins – ‘Sieg Howdy’ (Alternative Tentacles)

17.  The Legendary Hucklebucks – ‘Rattle All Night and Shake You!’ (Rock N Roll Purgatory)

18.  Arcturus – ‘Sideshow Symphonies’ (Season Mist America)

19.  Mercury Switch – ‘Time to Shine’ (Indianola)

20.  Space Cowboys – ‘Dead End Streets and Devil’s Night’ (Sonic Swirl)

21.      Calabrese – ’13 Halloweens’ (Spookshow Records)

22.      Ten 33 – ‘Nightmare on Gracie Street’ (Blood & Ink)

23.      Ani Kyd – ‘Evil Needs Candy, Too’ (Alternative Tentacles)

24.      The Immortal Lee County Killers 3 – ‘These Bones Will Rise to Love You Again’ (Tee Pee)

25.      The Driven High – ‘The Driven High’ (self released)

Eddie Fleisher’s best albums of 2005

1. Sage Francis – ‘A Healthy Distrust’ (Epitaph)

2. Antony & the Johnsons – ‘I Am A Bird’ (Secretly Canadian)

3. Blockhead – ‘Downtown Science’ (Ninja Tune)

4. Boards of Canada – ‘The Campfire’ (Headphase)

5. Jamie Lidell – ‘Multiply’ (Warp)

6. Neil Diamond – ‘12 Songs’ (Columbia)

7. Of Montreal – ‘The Sunlandic Twins’ (Polyvinyl)

8. Hot Chip – ‘Coming On Strong’ (Astralwerks)

9. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – ‘Jacksonville City Nights’ (Lost Highway)

10. Wolf Parade – ‘Apologies To The Queen Mary’ (Sub Pop)

Honorable Mentions: Ellen Allien – ‘Thrills’ (BPitch), Dangerdoom – ‘The Mouse & The Mask’ (Epitaph), Annie – ‘Anniemal’ (Big Beat), Caribou – ‘The Milk Of Human Kindness’ (Domino) 

Taliesin Govannon's best Albums of 2005

2005 was a great year for music...one of the best in a decade.  Even though most of the greatness came from overseas, it was still a bitch and a half to compile this list.  There were 30 finalists, but I've managed to whittle it down to my own witch's dozen...the 13 best albums of 2005.  

13. Beseech – ‘Sunless Days’ (Napalm)

Beseech is a band that just gets better and better with each album.  A special favorite of mine on here is their great cover of Danzig's “Devil's Plaything”.  Definitely one to check out. 

12. Winter of Apokalypse – ‘Solitary Winter Night’ (Moribund Cult)

Rising from the ashes of Thy Infernal, Winter of Apokalypse ripped into the scene with their debut, ‘Solitary Winter Night’.  Focusing on killer riffs and stunning playing, Winter of Apokalypse succeeds where many extreme metal bands fail. 

11. Korpiklaani – ‘Voice of Wilderness’ (Napalm)

All of the albums on this list are heavy, and many of them are either fierce, aggressive, haunting, moody, or cathartic.  Rock should also be fun, however, and Korpiklaani's ‘Voice of Wilderness’ is a rollicking, thoroughly enjoyable fun ride.  Great playing and writing don't hurt, either. 

10. Blood Ritual – ‘Black Grimoire’ (Moribund Cult)

The “one-man-black metal band” concept has yielded mixed results, but Tim Bishop's current project, Blood Ritual, really hits the mark.  A concept album based on John Carpenter's chilling film ‘In the Mouth of Madness’, ‘Black Grimoire’ is really one to check out. 

9. Elis – ‘Dark Clouds In A Perfect Sky’ (Napalm)

I got this album at the beginning of 2005, and have listened to it throughout the year.  Some CD's wear thin after a while, but Elis' second CD never gets tired.  It also has some of the best guitar work of the year. 

8. Old Man's Child – ‘Vermin’ (Century Media)

Dimmu Borgir guitarist Galder completely took over the Old Man's Child project with stunning results.  As I said in my original review, this is everything I expect symphonic black metal to be, and this album will define the style for years to come. 

7. Arch Enemy – ‘Doomsday Machine’ (Century Media)

If you thought ‘Anthems of Rebellion’ rocked, then you need to hear ‘Doomsday Machine’.  This is like ‘Anthems of Rebellion’ times 10, and is a must have for every metalhead. 

6. Midnattsol – ‘Where Twilight Dwells’ (Napalm)

Lead by the younger sister of Liv Kristine (Leaves Eyes), Midnattsol's debut was an impressive melodic folk-metal feast.  Like the Elis disc, I've been listening to this one for the majority of the year, and it holds up very well. 

5. Trail of Tears – ‘Free Fall Into Fear’ (Napalm)

This album surprised me.  I hadn't really heard Trail of Tears before this, and ‘Free Fall Into Fear’ stayed lodged in my stereo for months afterward. Superior musicianship combined with great songwriting to make one ass-kicking progressive metal masterpiece. 

OK, now let me digress for a moment and tell you that the top 4 selections were wrenching to make.  All three are jaw-droppingly great, and any one of them would have been an easy pick for album of the year in any other year.  In 2005, however, the competition was stiff. 

4. Leaves' Eyes – ‘Vinland Saga’ (Napalm)

The second album from Liv and the band was everything I was hoping for and more.  Every song is great, every melody sticks in your head, and the concept works well also.  Fans of Evanescence will take one listen and be blown away. 

3. Naio Ssaion – ‘Out Loud’ (Napalm)

Just when I thought I had this year's "best of" list nailed down, out comes Naio Ssaion's  debut album ‘Out Loud’.  It went from nowhere to #3 on the list, and is STILL stuck in my CD player as I write this.  Melodic, rocking, adventurous...this band has it all! 

2. Opeth – ‘Ghost Reveries’ (Roadrunner)

Opeth rules...every album they do just convinces me of this more and more.  After 2003's twin killer releases ‘Damnation’ and ‘Deliverance’, one could have excused Opeth for turning out a less adventurous, standard metal CD. However, there is nothing “standard” about this band, who have to be the most daring musicians in the music business.  You just can't pin them down...are they death metal, doom, acid, progressive or melodic metal?  Yes.  Every metal fan....no, every music fan....should check this one out. 

1. Battlore – ‘Third Age Of The Sun’ (Napalm)

This one surprised even me.  When I started working on this list, I knew that Battlelore would be high up on it, but I never assumed that they'd be #1.  However, this album not only blew me away when I first heard it, it has also continued to impress me more and more the longer I listen to it. Battlelore has woven together a musical tapestry that is both ass-kicking and entrancing, hailing from a musical realm that Tolkien could only dream about.  If you don't have this album, you're missing out on the best.