Top Ten - 1991

Looking at the 41 albums in this list, you'll see over 3/4 are metal or metal-related (including an all-metal Top Ten). Not a whole lot going on classic rock-wise. Also, if you look closely, you'll find one of the few Grunge albums (Nirvana's Nevermind) that will appear in this blog.



Top Ten - 1991:
91.18 -- Armored Saint - Symbol of Salvation
90.26 -- Metal Church - The Human Factor
88.40 -- Running Wild - Blazon Stone
88.28 -- Aria - Blood for Blood
87.94 -- Warrior Soul - Drugs, God and the New Republic
85.78 -- Galactic Cowboys - Galactic Cowboys
84.40 -- Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
84.39 -- Bride - Kinetic Faith
83.12 -- Gamma Ray - Sigh No More
82.79 -- Venom - Temples of Ice

Other 1991 releases:
82.37 -- Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid
82.28 -- Metallica - Metallica
81.61 -- Saxon - Solid Ball of Rock
81.46 -- Iced Earth - Iced Earth
81.44 -- Motörhead - 1916
81.20 -- Krokus - Stampede
79.18 -- Great White - Hooked
78.76 -- Savatage - "Streets" - A Rock Opera
78.61 -- Cirith Ungol - Paradise Lost
78.43 -- Badlands - Voodoo Highway
77.47 -- Skid Row - Slave to the Grind
77.42 -- Helloween - Pink Bubbles Go Ape
77.06 -- Demon - Hold On to the Dream
76.46 -- Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
75.60 -- Crimson Glory - Strange and Beautiful
73.87 -- Pink Cream 69 - One Size Fits All
72.65 -- Kik Tracee - No Rules
72.53 -- Blues Traveler - Travelers and Thieves
72.31 -- Guns 'n' Roses - Use Your Illusion II
71.53 -- Guns 'n' Roses - Use Your Illusion I
71.45 -- Reverend - Play God
71.29 -- Anvil - Worth the Weight
70.87 -- Nirvana - Nevermind
69.22 -- Queen - Innuendo
68.90 -- Uriah Heep - Different World
68.71 -- Fates Warning - Parallels
67.64 -- Praying Mantis - Predator in Disguise
65.99 -- Axel Rudi Pell - Nasty Reputation
65.07 -- Jethro Tull - Catfish Rising
63.68 -- Golden Earring - Bloody Buccaneers
61.33 -- Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky is Crying

Top Ten - 1992

Another relatively small list containing only 35 album ratings. As I mentioned in my other mid-90s Top Ten posts, Grunge was ruling the rock scene, which limited albums that appeal to me. Speaking of which, I'm sure many of you noticed (and maybe vehemently disagreed with) my rating of Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power. I've read other reviews of this album -- it's a classic; a 10/10 rating, etc. -- but this style of metal just doesn't work for me.

1992 Top Ten:
89.83 -- Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
89.64 -- Dream Theater - Images and Words
88.02 -- War Babies - War Babies
87.10 -- Running Wild - Pile of Skulls
86.56 -- Saxon - Forever Free
86.00 -- Iced Earth - Night of the Stormrider
83.81 -- Rage - Trapped!
83.67 -- Demon - Blow Out
83.67 -- Testament - The Ritual
82.90 -- Warrior Soul - Salutations from the Ghetto Nation

Other 1992 releases:
82.49 -- Killers - Murder One
82.43 -- Anthem - Domestic Booty
82.22 -- Damn Yankees - Don't Tread
80.83 -- Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
78.92 -- Black Sabbath - Dehumanizer
78.63 -- Jackyl - Jackyl
78.38 -- Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond
77.17 -- Yngwie Malmsteen - Fire and Ice
76.11 -- McAuley Schenker Group - MSG
76.06 -- Faith No More - Angel Dust
75.71 -- Cozy Powell - The Drums are Back
75.31 -- Axel Rudi Pell - Eternal Prisoner
74.08 -- Pretty Maids - Sin-Decade
73.52 -- Motörhead - March ör Die
73.15 -- Kiss - Revenge
72.31 -- UFO - High Stakes & Dangerous Men
72.02 -- Wildside - Under the Influence
70.77 -- Stratovarius - Twilight Time
70.72 -- Hardline - Double Eclipse
69.18 -- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Black Moon
67.24 -- Alice in Chains - Dirt
64.42 -- Manowar - The Triumph of Steel
63.54 -- Def Leppard - Adrenalize
61.83 -- Manilla Road - The Circus Maximus
50.94 -- Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power

Top Ten - 1994

Judging by how quickly the ratings drop into the 70s and below, 1994 looks like a weak year in music. This may be misleading, though, because I only reviewd 31 albums, due in part because of the popularity of Grunge at the time. But things could change if I eventually include some of those bands.

1994 Top Ten:
89.52 -- Running Wild - Black Hand Inn
86.23 -- Savatage - Handful of Rain
85.66 -- Pat Travers Band - Blues Magnet
84.14 -- Axel Rudi Pell - Between the Walls
83.61 -- Bruce Dickinson - Balls to Picasso
83.42 -- Threshold - Psychedelicatessen
83.32 -- Warrior Soul - Space Age Playboys
83.21 -- Megadeth - Youthanasia
82.26 -- Dream Theater - Awake
82.00 -- Riot - Night Breaker

Other 1994 releases:
81.78 -- Doctor Butcher - Doctor Butcher
80.17 -- Helloween - Master of the Rings
79.74 -- Dio - Strange Highways
78.64 -- Foghat - The Return of the Boogie Men
78.11 -- Stratovarius - Dreamspace
76.95 -- Mötley Crüe - Mötley Crüe
76.00 -- Pretty Maids - Scream
74.14 -- Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes
74.09 -- Helloween - Chameleon
73.70 -- Mägo de Oz - Mägo de Oz
70.97 -- Alice Cooper - The Last Temptation
70.81 -- Fight - War of Words
70.33 -- Symphony X - Symphony X
70.18 -- Blues Traveler - Four
69.12 -- Annihilator - King of the Kill
68.05 -- Yngwie Malmsteen - Seventh Sign
66.51 -- Queensrÿche - Promised Land
65.25 -- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - In the Hot Seat
61.35 -- ZZ Top - Antenna
58.87 -- Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
57.09 -- Fates Warning - Inside Out

Rock Island - Chapter Eleven

There's not much to do on the island. Everyone is bored and tempers are starting to run high. The captain suggests everyone make up a game or activity. Some of the better ideas are golf clubs made from clam shells and bamboo with avocado pit golf balls, a badminton net and rackets (Roy says he can make the rackets, but he suggests you not ask how he makes the birdies), a bowling alley with bamboo lanes and coconut bowling balls, and turtle races.

At lunch one day (fish, again; no one wants to eat the turtles), Cinnamon mentions that you haven't finished telling her the songs on your MP3 player. Happily, you finish the list:

• Savatage - Sirens; Midas Knight; Hall of the Mountain King; Gutter Ballet; When the Crowds are Gone; Edge of Thorns; Chance; I Am; Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24); Drive
• Saxon - Princess of the Night; Power and the Glory; Run for Your Lives; Bloodletter; Circle of Light
• Scorpions - The Riot of Your Time; Another Piece of Meat; Can't Get Enough; Lovedrive; The Zoo; Animal Magnetism; Blackout; Can't Live Without You; No One Like You; Rock You Like a Hurricane; Still Loving You; Hit Between the Eyes; Alien Nation; Mind Like a Tree
• Seven Witches - Camelot; Second War in Heaven; Xiled to Infinity and One
• Silent Force - Infatuator
• Silver Mountain - Felo De Se
• Stratovarius - Eternity; Season of Change; Babylon; Infinity; Soul of a Vagabond; Fantasia; Elements; Awaken the Giant
• Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow
• Symphony X - Sea of Lies; Evolution (The Grand Design)
• Tad Morose - Anubis
• Testament - Alone in the Dark; Electric Crown
• Threshold - Consume to Live; Angels; Turn on Tune In; Ravages of Time; Mission Profile
• Thy Majestie - Wings of Wind; The Siege of Paris
• Tierra Santa - Pegaso
• Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry; I Wanna Rock
• Vanderhoof - Nowhere Train
• W.A.S.P. - L.O.V.E. Machine; Inside the Electric Circus; Headless Children; Kill Your Pretty Face; Shadow Man
• War Babies - Hang Me Up; Blue Tomorrow
• Warrior Soul - I See the Ruins; We Cry Out; The Losers; Trippin' On Ecstasy
• White Spirit - Midnight Chaser
• Whitesnake - Fool for Your Loving; Still of the Night; Judgment Day

You're alone with Cinnamon. She catches you staring at her. And then you hear the captain calling. "I guess I need to go," you say.

Top Ten - 2000

Euro-metal ruled the releases in 2000, including the top eight albums. Perhaps many U.S. bands were taking a break or on tour, but seeing as I only rated 41 albums, I have a feeling the numbers will increase, if not change, as I review other releases from 2000. (Update: Anthem took over the top spot with their excellent re-recording of older material featuring Graham Bonnett on vocals.)

2000 Top Ten:
91.67 -- Anthem - Heavy Metal Anthem
91.28 -- Domine - Stormbringer Ruler
89.80 -- Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
89.72 -- Bow Wow - Beyond
88.64 -- Helloween - The Dark Ride
86.68 -- Iron Maiden - Brave New World
86.39 -- Tad Morose - Undead
86.15 -- Motörhead - We are Motörhead
85.92 -- UFO - Covenant
85.68 -- Mob Rules - Temple of Two Suns

Other 2000 releases:
85.65 -- Persuader - The Hunter
84.83 -- Seven Witches - City of Lost Souls
84.78 -- Symphony X - V: The New Mythology Suite
84.25 -- Stratovarius - Infinite
84.22 -- Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
84.01 -- Fates Warning - Disconnected
83.90 -- Lefay - . . . _ _ _ . . . (S.O.S.)
83.39 -- Alice Cooper - Brutal Planet
83.39 -- Therion - Deggial
83.05 -- Mägo de Oz - Finisterra
82.89 -- Running Wild - Victory
82.32 -- Silent Force - The Empire of Future
81.13 -- Nightwish - Wishmaster
79.47 -- Hammerfall - Renegade
78.77 -- Axel Rudi Pell - The Masquerade Ball
78.03 -- Molly Hatchet - Kingdom of XII
77.01 -- Brainstorm - Ambiguity
76.93 -- Nostradameus - Words of Nostradameus
75.09 -- Gov't Mule - Life Before Insanity
74.77 -- Dark Moor - The Hall of the Olden Dreams
74.00 -- Dio - Magica
71.97 -- Angel Dust - Enlighten the Darkness
69.19 -- Pretty Maids - Carpe Diem
69.10 -- AC/DC - Stiff Upper Lip
69.00 -- Thy Majestie - The Lasting Power
68.23 -- Chinchilla - Madness
64.09 -- Heavenly - Coming from the Sky
63.03 -- Shadow Keep - Corruption Within
61.96 -- Mötley Crüe - New Tattoo
60.94 -- Praying Mantis - Nowhere to Hide
50.09 -- Cornerstone - Arrival

Top Ten - 2002

2002 was a solid year in rock and metal. Of the 58 albums I rated, most were good to excellent, while some of the stragglers at least had a few songs that were worth checking out. The lone exception here is Def Leppard, whose album X was pretty weak overall.



2002 Top Ten:

90.49 -- W.A.S.P. - Dying for the World
90.29 -- Seven Witches - Xiled to Infinity and One
90.18 -- Wolf - Black Wings
89.46 -- Messiah's Kiss - Prayer for the Dying
88.89 -- UFO - Sharks
87.95 -- Arjen Anthony Lucassen - Space Metal
87.14 -- Iron Savior - Condition Red
86.77 -- Bow Wow - What's Going On
86.02 -- Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera
85.97 -- Nightwish - Century Child

Other 2002 releases:
85.87 -- Rage - Unity
85.63 -- Tierra Santa - Sangre de Reyes
85.35 -- Thy Majestie - Hastings 1066
85.22 -- Dogface - In Control
84.99 -- Running Wild - The Brotherhood
84.65 -- Dream Evil - Dragon Slayer
84.57 -- Riot - Through the Storm
84.21 -- Ted Nugent - Craveman
83.82 -- Mob Rules - Hollowed Be Thy Name
83.29 -- Cornerstone - Human Stain
83.13 -- Symphony X - The Odyssey
82.49 -- Primal Fear - Black Sun
82.35 -- Dark Moor - The Gates of Oblivion
82.24 -- Blitzkrieg - Absolute Power
82.24 -- Avantasia - The Metal Opera, Pt. 2
82.17 -- Rhapsody - Power of the Dragon Flame
82.11 -- Anthem - Overload
82.02 -- Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
82.01 -- Tierra Santa - Tierras de Leyenda
81.88 -- Firewind - Between Heaven and Hell
81.48 -- Tank - Still at War
81.27 -- Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance
80.81 -- Dio - Killing the Dragon
80.75 -- Warlord - Rising Out of the Ashes
80.30 -- Anvil - Still Going Strong
80.24 -- Hammerfall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken
80.21 -- Red Wine - El Fin de Los Tiempos
79.83 -- Mountain - Mystic Fire
79.41 -- Manowar - Warriors of the World
79.01 -- Axel Rudi Pell - Shadow Zone
78.94 -- Hammerfall - Crimson Thunder
78.86 -- Vanderhoof - A Blur in Time
78.71 -- Tad Morose - Matters of the Dark
77.66 -- Arachnes - Apocalypse
77.29 -- Chinchilla - The Last Millenium
76.92 -- Pretty Maids - Planet Panic
76.61 -- Motörhead - Hammered
76.49 -- Threshold - Critical Mass
73.81 -- Annihilator - Waking the Fury
73.78 -- Warmen - Beyond Abilities
72.02 -- Tornado - Triumph of the King
70.10 -- Dokken - Long Way Home
67.04 -- Angel Dust - Of Human Bondage
65.95 -- Axenstar - Perpetual Twilight
65.94 -- Ark - Burn the Sun
64.94 -- Manilla Road - Spiral Castle
57.82 -- Wizards - The Kingdom
49.79 -- Def Leppard - X