Metal Asylum's Top Albums Of 2022

Rich Catino:

1. Girish And The Chronicles - Hail to the Heroes

2. Stratovarius - Survive

3. H.E.A.T. - Force Majeure

4. Blind Guardian - The God Machine

5. Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance

6. Skid Row - The Gang's All Here

7. Wolf - Shadowland

8. Stryper - The Final Battle

9. Destruction - Diabolical

10. Threshold - Divided Lines

11. Grave Digger - Symbol Of Eternity

12. Saxon - Carpe Diem

13. Megadeth - The Sick, The Dead, The Dying

14. Ghost - Impera

15. Kreator - Hate Uber Alles

16. Skullfist - Paid In Full

17. Iconic - Second Skin

18. Hammerfall - Hammer of Dawn

19. Evil Invaders - Shattered Reflection

20. Crashdiet - Automation

21. Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun

22. Therion - Leviathan II

23. Spirits of Fire - Embrace The Unknown

24. Scorpions - Rock Believer

25. Vio-Lence - Let The World Burn

26. Reckless Love - Turborider

27. Satan - Earth Infernal

28. Michael Schenker Group - Universal

29. House of Lords - Saints & Sinners

30. Joe Lynn Turner - Belly of the Beast




Disappointments from 2022:

Avantasia – A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society.
I really liked a couple of these albums, especially The Metal Opera pt.2 , but I am so over it with the Broadway theater style Meat Loaf songwriting and arrangements. I want my Edguy Mandrake/Hellfire Club era back.

Kiss – Off The Soundboard: Live In Virginia Beach 2004.
I love Paul Stanley he's one of my favorite singers (up to the 90s) and frontmen, but boy does he sound awful live. He just hasn't had the pipes. And Kiss keeps churning out everything and anything even if the vocals sound terrible..

Def Leppard - Diamond Star Halos.
Not that I was expecting much, or another High n Dry or at least Pyromania, but aside from the one song "Take What You Want" it's another album of light pop rock and no edge or drive to the riffs carrying the song.

Top 5 Concerts of 2022:

1. Mercyful Fate, Kreator, Midnight. 11/10, Kings Theater, Brooklyn, New York
2. W.A.S.P. and Armored Saint. 11/17, Wellmont Theater. Montclair, New Jersey.
3. Testament, Exodus and Death Angel. 4/ 30. Starland Ballroom, Sayreville New Jersey.
4. Judas Priest, Queensryche. 3/ 30, Prudential Center, Newark NJ
5. Winger/Firehouse. 3/25. Penns Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA.

Rich's Thoughts On 2022

Aside from my top 5 concerts I also went to the Live To Rock package with Warrant, Skid Row (one of the last shows before Erik Gronwell became the singer) and Ted Poley (Danger Danger). Overkill, Prong March 18, Palladium, NYC. Symphony X/ Haken June 12, Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ. All I did a write-up for with pictures at Bravewords, or Metal Asylum.
Let's address the biggest elephant in the room, its a Pantera Tribute and that's how they should be billed. Not just Pantera, because its not. This was also my gripe for last year, the lack of support for new music and bands. Fans of traditional and NWOBHM, 80's Glam Metal and Hard Rock, Thrash and Speed Metal have to start supporting the new bands from the recent ten fifteen years like they do the classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Can’t live in the past forever, and all the legacy names are starting to retire. Plus, it’s important for the music to move forward while retaining all that we love from the past. This new generation needs your support.
The new song Mercyful Fate played live on their 2022 tour, "The Jackal of Salzburg", was killer, sounded like it could have been on one of the 90s albums. Looking forward to its release with more songs, and a new album from King Diamond too. Winger have been working on a new album and I'm sure will be as hard rocking as the previous two Better Days Comin and Karma. Savatage have been reissuing their back catalog on vinyl. Fingers crossed for some tour dates. The Kiss farewell tour seems never-ending. And you know when Paul and Gene finally decide to retire they will replace themselves and the brand will continue, and the sheepeople will buy into that too. Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, and Tankard will finally get that Teutonic Thrash tour started?
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Jack Mangan:

1. Zeal and Ardor - Zeal and Ardor

2. Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash

3. Blind Guardian - The God Machine

4. Devin Townsend - Lightwork

5. Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance

6. Lord Vigo - We Shall Overcome

7. Kreator - Hate Uber Alles

8. Birth - Born

9. Dream Widow - Dream Widow

10. Arch Enemy - Deceivers

11. Them - Fear City

12. Ghost - Impera

13. Seven Kingdoms - Zenith

14. King’s X - Three Sides Of One

15. Sumerlands - Dreamkiller

16. Steve Vai - Inviolate

17. Sylvaine - Nova

18. Darkest Era - Wither on the Vine

19. Parius - The Signal Heard Throughout Space

20. Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait

21. Michael Romeo - War of the Worlds, part 2

22. Necromancers - Where the Void Rose

23. Frayle - Skin and Sorrow

24. Grave Digger - Symbol of Eternity

25. Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting

26. Saxon - Carpe Diem

27. Six by Six - Six By Six

28. Destruction - Diabolical

29. Hammerfall - Hammer of Dawn

30. Animals as Leaders - Pyrrhesis

31. Meshuggah - Immutable

32. Girish and the Chronicles - Hail to the Heroes

33. Derek Sherinian - Vortex (Prog)

34. Spheric Universe Experience - Back Home

35. Stryper - The Final Battle

36. Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying, and the Dead!

37. Voivod - Synchro Anarchy

38. High Castle Teleorkestra - The Egg That Never Hatched

39. Faetooth - Remnants of the Vessel

40. Clutch - Sunrise on Slaughter Beach


Honorable mentions (EPs, Rereleases, Covers, Heavy Non-Metal albums):


Jason Bieler and the Baron Von Bielski Orchestra - Bear Sedatives (EP)

Spirit In The Room - Flamingo (EP)

The Smile - Light for Attracting Attention (Alternative)

Shearwater - The Great Awakening (Indy Rock)

Noteworthy Concerts of 2022:


Judas Priest/Queensryche

Mercyful Fate/Kreator/Nightmare

Zeal and Ardor/Sylvaine/Imperial Triumphant

Max and Igor Cavalera/Cephalic Carnage

Anthrax/Black Label Society/Hatebreed

Symphony X/Haken/Trope

Ministry/Melvins/Corrosion of Conformity

Ghost/Volbeat/Twin Temple

John Petrucci/Meanstreak

Beast in Black/Seven Kingdoms/Striker

Katatonia/The Ocean/Cellar Darling

Joe Satriani

Apocalyptica/Lacuna Coil

WASP/Armored Saint

Jack's Thoughts On 2022

2022 was a weird year. It's a thrill to see live music coming back, even if there are still some difficulties for international travel and touring. It *is* fantastic to see the Heavy Metal worldview expanding beyond a few regions of England and the US coasts (as reflected in our Top Albums lists). The Metal world continues to struggle with too much focus on the past, but in spite of this, there are still great artists who are guiding the Heavy evolution with new ideas, sounds, and innovative songwriting. Again, note the differences and similarities in Rich's list and mine. This music was founded over 50 years ago, but is still as youthful and strong as ever.

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