Top Ten - 1979

Classic rock bands dominated the 67 albums I rated from 1979. But if you look closely, you'll find some New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands not only enter the list, but start off strong right from the beginning.



Top Ten - 1979
92.75 -- Scorpions - Lovedrive
88.62 -- Gamma - Gamma 1
87.72 -- Motörhead - Overkill
87.28 -- Van Halen - Van Halen II
86.50 -- Gillan - Mr. Universe
86.31 -- Triumph - Just A Game
86.00 -- Rainbow - Down to Earth
84.95 -- Blackfoot - Strikes
83.88 -- Quartz - Deleted
83.70 -- Poobah - Steamroller

Other 1979 releases:
83.64 -- Mythra - Death and Destiny
82.98 -- New England - New England
82.80 -- Bad Company - Desolation Angels
82.41 -- Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' with Disaster
82.26 -- ZZ Top - Degüello
82.25 -- Cozy Powell - Over the Top
82.18 -- Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts
82.13 -- AC/DC - Highway to Hell
81.97 -- Cheap Trick - Dream Police
81.04 -- Thin Lizzy - Black Rose: A Rock Legend
80.57 -- Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
79.92 -- Legend - From the Fjords
79.60 -- Accept - Accept
79.45 -- Riot - Narita
79.38 -- Mariner - One
79.26 -- Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
79.07 -- Legs Diamond - Fire Power
77.81 -- Face Dancer - This World
77.28 -- Saxon - Saxon
77.25 -- Jethro Tull - Stormwatch
76.87 -- Motörhead - Bomber
76.60 -- April Wine - Harder ... Faster
75.77 -- Hawkwind - PXR5
75.61 -- Foghat - Boogie Motel
75.32 -- Styx - Cornerstone
75.23 -- Ted Nugent - State of Shock
74.10 -- Whitesnake - Lovehunter
73.99 -- R.E.O. Speedwagon - Nine Lives
71.06 -- Foreigner - Head Games
70.54 -- Winterhawk - Electric Warriors
70.23 -- Pat Travers Band - Heat In the Street
69.93 -- Axe - Axe
68.89 -- Kiss - Dynasty
67.52 -- Golden Earring - No Promises...No Debts
66.62 -- Shooting Star - Shooting Star
66.21 -- Sweet - Cut Above the Rest
65.30 -- Blue Öyster Cult - Mirrors
64.74 -- Pink Floyd - The Wall
61.18 -- Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Angel Station
60.76 -- Quiet Riot - Quiet Riot II
55.73 -- Pepper Porter Band - Invasion
43.71 -- Truth And Janey - Just A Little Bit Of Magic
41.67 -- The Godz - Nothing Is Sacred
37.35 -- Max Webster - A Million Vacations
69.54 -- Hawkwind - Choose Your Masques
69.23 -- Budgie - Deliver Us from Evil
68.51 -- Golden Earring - Cut
65.33 -- Krokus - One Vice At A Time
65.00 -- Twisted Sister - Under the Blade
64.06 -- Tygers of Pan Tang - Crazy Nights
62.80 -- Hawkwind - Church Of Hawkwind
62.50 -- Van Halen - Diver Down
61.10 -- Venom - Black Metal
59.50 -- Pete Townshend - All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
55.66 -- Alice Cooper - Zipper Catches Skin
52.96 -- Foghat - In the Mood for Something Rude
50.14 -- Queen - Hot Space

Top Ten - 1989

As we go back in time, we start moving away from the Power and Progressive metal bands and back into the realm of traditional metal, NWOBHM, and classic rock bands. There are 45 albums from 1989 listed here.



Top Ten - 1989
91.76 -- Metal Church - Blessing In Disguise
88.77 -- Badlands - Badlands
88.33 -- Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
88.23 -- Faith No More - The Real Thing
87.62 -- Running Wild - Death or Glory
86.25 -- Anthem - Hunting Time
86.05 -- Gamma Ray - Heading for Tomorrow
85.28 -- Cacophony - Go Off!
84.69 -- Blue Murder - Blue Murder
84.14 -- Savatage - Gutter Ballet

Other 1989 releases:
84.01 -- Aria - Play with Fire
83.85 -- Testament - Practice What You Preach
82.27 -- Bride - Silence Is Madness
82.22 -- Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
81.54 -- Great White - ...Twice Shy
81.24 -- Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite
81.20 -- Whitesnake - Slip of the Tongue
80.64 -- Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked
80.39 -- Aerosmith - Pump
79.08 -- Rage - Secrets in a Weird World
78.51 -- Viper - Theater of Fate
78.48 -- King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
78.28 -- McAuley Schenker Group - Save Yourself
77.27 -- Jethro Tull - Rock Island
76.87 -- Joe Satriani - Flying in a Blue Dream
75.84 -- Ten Years After - About Time
75.58 -- Kiss - Hot In the Shade
74.72 -- Demon - Taking the World by Storm
73.95 -- Alice Cooper - Trash
73.45 -- Bow Wow - Helter Skelter
73.12 -- U.D.O. - Mean Machine
72.91 -- Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Step
72.68 -- Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood
72.41 -- Stratovarius - Fright Night
67.54 -- Triumph - Surveillance
67.16 -- Blind Guardian - Follow the Blind
65.93 -- Pink Cream 69 - Pink Cream 69
65.87 -- Sabbat - Dreamweaver (Reflections of Our Yesterdays)
65.82 -- Axel Rudi Pell - Wild Obsession
64.40 -- Uriah Heep - Raging Silence
63.58 -- Bonham - The Disregard of Timekeeping
62.76 -- Toxik - Think This
58.05 -- Queen - The Miracle
55.81 -- Molly Hatchet - Lightning Strikes Twice
51.94 -- Fastway - On Target

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 - 1993

The early to mid 90s seemed to be a transitional time for hard rock and metal. Grunge was in full swing while many of today's top metal acts were either in their infancy or not yet formed. As a result, the number of releases (of the style of music I prefer) dropped significantly during this time, culminating in 1993's low of only 30 albums reviewed.

1993 Top Ten:
90.28 -- Rage - The Missing Link
90.18 -- Saviour Machine - Saviour Machine I
87.77 -- Metal Church - Hanging in the Balance
85.64 -- Candlebox - Candlebox
84.59 -- Joe Stump - Guitar Dominance!
82.58 -- W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol
82.51 -- Threshold - Wounded Land
82.00 -- Gamma Ray - Insanity and Genius
81.89 -- Morgana Lefay - Secret Doctrine
81.86 -- Morgana Lefay - Knowing Just as I

Other 1993 releases:
80.89 -- Coverdale•Page - Coverdale•Page
77.98 -- Triumph - Edge of Excess
77.94 -- Aerosmith - Get A Grip
77.91 -- Pink Cream 69 - Games People Play
77.88 -- Blue Murder - Nothin' but Trouble
77.45 -- Savatage - Edge of Thorns
76.92 -- Diamond Head - Death and Progress
76.15 -- Tad Morose - Leaving the Past Behind
76.02 -- Butthole Surfers - Independent Worm Saloon
75.66 -- Deep Purple - The Battle Rages On
74.66 -- Motörhead - Bastards
73.09 -- Scorpions - Face the Heat
72.64 -- Angra - Angels Cry
72.34 -- Masters of Reality - Sunrise on the Sufferbus
71.62 -- Blues Traveler - Save His Soul
70.24 -- Pat Travers Band - Just a Touch
65.85 -- Praying Mantis - A Cry for the New World
65.81 -- Warrior Soul - Chill Pill
63.11 -- Pretty Maids - Stripped
58.23 -- Hawkwind - It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous

Top Ten - 1995

Savatage tops the list of 43 albums reviewed from 1995. But this great album featured a 3 minute and 12 second song that eventually put Savatage on hold indefinitely. The popularity of "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" led to the band members forming the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which became so successful that they literally couldn't afford to put that aside in order to record another Savatage album. No matter, though. Now we can enjoy the Savatage albums as well as TSO, Circle II Circle, Jon Oliva's Pain, and Chris Caffery. Not a bad trade-off!

1995 Top Ten:
88.57 -- Savatage - Dead Winter Dead
88.10 -- Rainbow - Stranger In Us All
88.04 -- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free
87.97 -- UFO - Walk on Water
86.88 -- Rage - Black In Mind
86.61 -- Running Wild - Masquerade
86.60 -- Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side
86.52 -- Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings
85.97 -- Morgana Lefay - Sanctified
85.19 -- Motörhead - Sacrifice

Other 1995 releases:
84.38 -- Gov't Mule - Gov't Mule
83.97 -- Sun Red Sun - Sun Red Sun
83.69 -- Aria - Night is Shorter than Day
83.64 -- Dokken - Dysfunctional
83.34 -- Iron Maiden - X Factor
80.33 -- Krokus - To Rock or Not to Be
80.16 -- Blitzkrieg - Unholy Trinity
80.07 -- Bow Wow - Bow Wow #1
78.60 -- Stratovarius - Fourth Dimension
78.10 -- Ted Nugent - Spirit of the Wild
77.96 -- Hawkwind - Alien 4
77.35 -- Uriah Heep - Sea of Light
76.93 -- Symphony X - The Damnation Game
76.88 -- Fight - Small Deadly Space
76.56 -- Tad Morose - Sender of Thoughts
75.00 -- Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
74.99 -- Saxon - Dogs of War
74.48 -- Kamelot - Eternity
74.02 -- Van Halen - Balance
72.73 -- Pat Travers Band - Halfway to Somewhere
72.71 -- AC/DC - Ballbreaker
72.69 -- White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000
71.07 -- Praying Mantis - To the Power of Ten
70.44 -- Carmine Appice - Guitar Zeus
69.61 -- Jethro Tull - Roots to Branches
69.10 -- Yngwie Malmsteen - Magnum Opus
69.08 -- Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzmosis
68.74 -- Black Sabbath - Forbidden
65.19 -- Edguy - The Savage Poetry
61.71 -- Blackfoot - After the Reign
55.14 -- Queen - Made In Heaven
51.45 -- Therion - Lepaca Kliffoth

Rock Island - Chapter Five

You're walking on the far side of the island with Cinnamon when you spot (or think you spot) two men off in the distance. One has gray hair and reminds you of that "rich Corinthian leather" guy. He seems fairly tall, but that could be misleading as the other man is short; maybe even a little person. You think you hear the words "ze plane," but then Cinnamon is talking to you and turn your attention to her, the vision (or was it real?) already forgotten.

"So tell me some of the songs you have with you," Cinnamon says. This is music to your ears. You scroll through your MP3 player, reading heavy metal song titles aloud:

• Angel Dust - Follow Me, Pt. 2; Surrender
• Anvil - Bedroom Game; Metal On Metal
• Arjen Anthony Lucassen - Set Your Controls
• Axel Rudi Pell - Casbah; Live for the King
• Blood Ceremony - Master of Confusion
• Brainstorm - Hollow Hideaway; Trinity of Lust: Shiva's Tears; Worlds are Comin' Through
• Bruce Dickinson - Tears of A Dragon; Accident of Birth
• Butthole Surfers - Who Was in My Room Last Night?
• Candlebox - You
• Cans - The Key
• Circle II Circle - Out of Reach
• Cornerstone - Welcome to Forever; Once Upon Our Yesterdays
• Dark Moor - Nevermore
• Def Leppard - Rock Brigade; Wasted
• Dio - Holy Diver
• Dogface - Not Wanted
• Domine - The Ride of the Valkyries; Dawn of a New Day - A Celtic Requiem
• Dream Theater - Pull Me Under; Take the Time; Caught in a Web; Scene Four: Beyond This Life; Glass Prison; Great Debate
• Edguy - Out of Control; Piper Never Dies
• Elixir - Born Loser
• Fastway - Another Day; Say What You Will
• Feinstein - Rebelution; Streaming Star; Inferno
• Force of Evil - Dawn on Dominion/Hell on Earth
• Galactic Cowboys - I'm Not Amused
• Gamma Ray - Heading for Tomorrow; Rebellion in Dreamland; Heart of the Unicorn; New World Order; My Temple; Spiritual Dictator
• Great White - Desert Moon

With power dwindling, you stop, but unfortunately (or is it fortunately?) there will be another opportunity to finish the list.

Top Ten (+15) - Power Metal Albums

I categorized 290 Power Metal albums. Germany was easily the most well-represented country with 108 albums, followed by the U.S. (55 albums), Sweden (48 albums), and Finland (25 albums). The remainder included ten other countries. Not surprisingly, 13 of the top 25 albums were by German bands, with U.S. bands second with seven albums. Oddly, only one Swedish album is included here.

Top 25 Albums:
91.64 -- Savatage - The Dungeons are Calling (1984)
91.28 -- Domine - Stormbringer Ruler (2000)
91.18 -- Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
90.73 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2 (1988)
90.51 -- Gamma Ray - Majestic (2005)
90.29 -- Seven Witches - Xiled to Infinity and One (2002)
90.28 -- Rage - The Missing Link (1993)
90.25 -- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free II (2007)
90.00 -- Attacker - Second Coming (1988)
89.75 -- Rage - Carved In Stone (2008)
89.74 -- Helloween - Better than Raw (1998)
89.72 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)
89.64 -- Dark Moor - Dark Moor (2003)
89.53 -- Mob Rules - Among the Gods (2004)
89.52 -- Running Wild - Black Hand Inn (1994)
89.46 -- Messiah's Kiss - Prayer for the Dying (2002)
89.30 -- Heavenly - Virus (2006)
89.26 -- Axehammer - Windrider (2005)
89.24 -- Messiah's Kiss - Metal (2004)
89.12 -- Seven Witches - Second War in Heaven (1999)
88.96 -- Lefay - Symphony of the Damned (1999)
88.92 -- Wizard - Goochan (2007)
88.64 -- Helloween - The Dark Ride (2000)
88.59 -- Hibria - Defying the Rules (2005)
88.57 -- Savatage - Dead Winter Dead (1995)

Top Ten - 1999

Power and traditional metal bands topped the list in 1999. I rated 51 albums involving many well-known bands. The results varied, from the not-so-good to excellent.

1999 Top Ten:
91.04 -- October 31 - Meet Thy Maker
90.55 -- Saxon - Metalhead
89.56 -- Crimson Glory - Astronomica
89.13 -- W.A.S.P. - Helldorado
89.12 -- Seven Witches - Second War in Heaven
89.12 -- Wuthering Heights - Within
88.96 -- Lefay - Symphony Of the Damned
88.38 -- Metal Church - Masterpeace
86.08 -- Metalium - Millenium Metal
85.99 -- Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory

Other 1999 releases:
85.47 -- Angel Dust - Bleed
85.31 -- Riot - Sons of Society
85.09 -- Tierra Santa - Legendario
84.99 -- Gamma Ray - Power Plant
83.49 -- Krokus - Round 13
83.29 -- Pretty Maids - Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing
82.63 -- Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica
82.51 -- Edguy - Theater of Salvation
82.20 -- Yngwie Malmsteen - Alchemy
81.12 -- Iron Savior - Interlude
80.40 -- Grave Digger - Excalibur
80.34 -- Vanden Plas - Far Off Grace
79.81 -- Mogg/Way - Chocolate Box
79.39 -- Wizard - Bound by Metal
79.28 -- Badlands - Dusk
78.26 -- Pink Cream 69 - Electrified
77.45 -- Mob Rules - Savage Land
77.36 -- Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe
77.15 -- Dokken - Erase the Slate
75.61 -- Dario Mollo / Tony Martin - Cage
75.56 -- Megadeth - Risk
75.33 -- Styx - Brave New World
75.19 -- Rage - Ghost
74.95 -- Queensrÿche - Q2K
73.65 -- Lefay - The Seventh Seal
72.02 -- Uriah Heep - Sonic Origami
70.03 -- Dark Moor - Shadowland
69.90 -- Michael Schenker Group - The Unforgiven
68.90 -- Blackmore's Night - Under a Violet Moon
68.66 -- George Thorogood & the Destroyers - Half a Boy/Half a Man
68.12 -- Demons & Wizards - Demons & Wizards
67.11 -- Symphorce - Truth to Promises
65.28 -- Jethro Tull - J-Tull Dot Com
64.52 -- Ratt - Ratt
63.68 -- Power Symphony - Evillot
59.51 -- Andi Deris - Done by Mirrors
58.98 -- Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
57.94 -- ZZ Top - XXX
57.94 -- Scorpions - Eye II Eye
52.71 -- Def Leppard - Euphoria
47.44 -- Morgana Lefay - Morgana Lefay

Rock Island - Chapter Three

You're sick of coconuts. Coconut milk for breakfast. Coconut-crusted fish for lunch and dinner. Big hairy balls of... and suddenly you're lost in thought. Big Balls. AC/DC. But it's not on your MP3 player. Should it be? It's a great song. You'll have to consider adding it. And then the thought passes as Cinnamon asks if you want to join her in gathering coconuts. You immediately say yes, you love coconuts.

She asks about the music you listen to. You smile and tell her you're a metalhead, and rattle off some classic metal bands. You have Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Metallica and Scorpions with you. But wait, there's more. You also have some great Euro-metal bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Kamelot, Nightwish, Stratovarious, and Threshold. "I'd love to hear them sometime," she says. You leave happy, in spite of the coconuts.

Top Ten - 2001

Five lesser-known bands made the top ten, along with solid efforts by veteran bands. And 49 album reviews without a single rating above 90 (unless you round up) may look like a down year in music, but that's misleading as many bands ended up in the 80 - 85 range. (For anyone who looked at this list previously, you may notice a change. I recently got a chance to listen to and review Anthem CDs, and as you can see, I liked Seven Hills a lot.)

2001 Top Ten:
89.83 -- Anthem - Seven Hills
89.71 -- Magnitude 9 - Reality in Focus
87.92 -- Wayne - Metal Church
87.77 -- Gamma Ray - No World Order
87.62 -- W.A.S.P. - Unholy Terror
87.25 -- Iced Earth - Horror Show
86.64 -- Labyrinth - Sons of Thunder
86.62 -- Racer X - Superheroes
86.47 -- Silver Mountain - Breakin' Chains
86.09 -- Threshold - Hypothetical

Other 2001 releases:
85.54 -- Annihilator - Carnival Diablos
85.13 -- Savatage - Poets and Madmen
84.63 -- Blue Öyster Cult - Curse of the Hidden Mirror
84.27 -- Mahogany Rush - Eye of the Storm
84.24 -- Aria - Chimera
84.11 -- Saxon - Killing Ground
83.85 -- Dogface - Unleashed
83.81 -- Edguy - Mandrake
83.20 -- Brainstorm - Metus Mortis
83.01 -- Falconer - Falconer
82.77 -- Cydonia - Cydonia
82.73 -- Wizard - Head of the Deceiver
82.54 -- Lost Horizon - Awakening the World
82.38 -- Helloïse - Fata Morgana
81.80 -- Kamelot - Karma
81.76 -- Megadeth - The World Needs A Hero
81.22 -- Silent Force - Infatuator
80.77 -- Angra - Rebirth
80.24 -- Iron Savior - Dark Assault
80.13 -- Primal Fear - Nuclear Fire
78.41 -- Heavenly - Sign of the Winner
78.17 -- Balance of Power - Perfect Balance
77.65 -- Rage - Welcome to the Other Side
77.32 -- Nostradameus - The Prophet of Evil
77.11 -- Sonata Arctica - Silence
77.10 -- Michael Schenker Group - Be Aware of Scorpions
76.89 -- Arachnes - Parallel Worlds
76.69 -- Goat Horn - Voyage to Nowhere
76.28 -- Ozzy Osbourne - Down to Earth
76.26 -- Avantasia - The Metal Opera
75.68 -- Alice Cooper - Dragontown
75.53 -- Blackmore's Night - Fires at Midnight
70.44 -- Anvil - Plenty of Power
69.76 -- Manilla Road - Atlantis Rising
68.88 -- Judas Priest - Demolition
67.77 -- Aerosmith - Just Push Play
67.26 -- Beto Vázquez Infinity - Infinity
65.82 -- Demon - Spaced Out Monkey
52.33 -- Bow Wow - Another Place

Top Ten - 2005

I rated 45 albums from 2005. Some big names made it to the top of the list that year. Other efforts were decent to good, but fell short of the top spots.

2005 Top Ten:
90.51 -- Gamma Ray - Majestic
90.41 -- Bow Wow - Era
89.72 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy
89.26 -- Axehammer - Windrider
88.59 -- Hibria - Defying the Rules
87.57 -- Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny of Souls
87.09 -- Kamelot - The Black Halo
86.36 -- Thy Majestie - Jeanne d’Arc
85.74 -- Diamond Head - All Will Be Revealed
84.33 -- Shaman - Reason

Other 2005 releases:
83.72 -- Astral Doors - Evil Is Forever
83.07 -- Nocturnal Rites - Grand Illusion
82.99 -- Stratovarius - Stratovarius
82.79 -- Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Tage Mahal
82.38 -- Wolfmother - Wolfmother
81.91 -- Presto Ballet - Peace Among the Ruins
81.77 -- Circle II Circle - The Middle Of Nowhere
81.29 -- Jørn - The Duke
81.17 -- Yngwie Malmsteen - Unleash the Fury
80.61 -- Tony Martin - Scream
80.58 -- Tierra Santa - Apocalipsis
80.35 -- 35007 - Phase V
79.85 -- Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution
79.77 -- Brainstorm - Liquid Monster
78.96 -- Molly Hatchet - Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge
78.93 -- Slough Feg - Atavism
78.34 -- Blitzkrieg - Sins and Greed
78.10 -- Dark Moor - Beyond the Sea
77.87 -- Running Wild - Rogues En Vogue
77.04 -- Dream Theater - Octavarium
75.99 -- Morgana Lefay - Grand Materia
75.55 -- Angra - Temple of Shadows
75.23 -- Mägo de Oz - Gaia II - La Voz Dormida
75.14 -- Allen / Lande - The Battle
74.92 -- Platitude - Silence Speaks
73.92 -- Wizard - Magic Circle
73.78 -- Demons & Wizards - Touched by the Crimson King
72.01 -- Alice Cooper - Dirty Diamonds
71.77 -- Anubis Gate - A Perfect Forever
71.57 -- Labyrinth - Freeman
70.07 -- Demon - Better the Devil You Know
69.06 -- Axenstar - The Inquisition
62.67 -- Seven Witches - Amped
54.22 -- Manilla Road - Gates of Fire

Top Ten (+15) - Albums by German Bands

So far, I've rated 225 albums by German bands. The amount of rock and metal talent there is pretty impressive. Eight different bands made it into my Top Ten list, and all ten albums have a rating of 90 or better (if you round up).

Top 25 Albums:
92.75 -- Scorpions - Lovedrive (1979)
91.79 -- Michael Schenker Group - Assault Attack (1982)
90.73 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2 (1988)
90.54 -- Scorpions - Love at First Sting (1984)
90.51 -- Gamma Ray - Majestic (2005)
90.28 -- Rage - The Missing Link (1993)
90.25 -- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free II (2007)
90.04 -- Blind Guardian - Tales from the Twilight World (1990)
89.75 -- Rage - Carved In Stone (2008)
89.74 -- Helloween - Better than Raw (1998)
89.72 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)
89.53 -- Mob Rules - Among the Gods (2004)
89.52 -- Running Wild - Black Hand Inn (1994)
89.46 -- Messiah's Kiss - Prayer for the Dying (2002)
89.35 -- Virus - Thoughts (1971)
89.24 -- Messiah's Kiss - Metal (2004)
88.92 -- Wizard - Goochan (2007)
88.40 -- Running Wild - Blazon Stone (1991)
88.28 -- Twenty Sixty Six and Then - Reflections On the Future (1972)
88.23 -- Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend (1970)
88.14 -- Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003)
88.04 -- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (1995)
87.94 -- Helloween - The Dark Ride (2000)
87.90 -- Kingdom Come - Kingdom Come (1988)
87.77 -- Gamma Ray - No World Order (1990)

Top Ten - 2007

I rated 65 albums released in 2007. As in 2008, some well-known artists released some very good albums that still fell outside the top ten. I think that's more a testimony to how good the other artists are, and is a definite endorsement to check them out if you don't know them.

2007 Top Ten:
90.25 -- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free II
89.47 -- Dominici - O3 - A Trilogy Part 2
88.92 -- Wizard - Goochan
88.66 -- Manticora - The Black Circus Part 2
88.38 -- Cornerstone - Two Tales Of One Tomorrow
88.31 -- David Shankle Group - Hellborn
88.30 -- Kotipelto - Serenity
87.35 -- W.A.S.P. - Dominator
87.00 -- Iron Savior - Megatropolis
86.67 -- Saxon - The Inner Sanctum

Other 2007 releases:
86.66 -- Pink Cream 69 - In10sity
86.34 -- Diamond Head - What's In Your Head
86.12 -- Ted Nugent - Love Grenade
85.81 -- Messiah's Kiss - Dragonheart
85.08 -- Megadeth - United Abominations
84.84 -- Leaf Hound - Unleashed
84.78 -- Dark Moor - Tarot
83.81 -- Empire - Chasing Shadows
83.79 -- Masterplan - MK II
83.67 -- Helloween - Gambling with the Devil
83.54 -- Iron Fire - Blade of Triumph
83.26 -- Symphony X - Paradise Lost
83.11 -- Kamelot - Ghost Opera
82.76 -- Silent Force - Walk the Earth
82.46 -- Intense - As Our Army Grows
82.39 -- Blitzkrieg - Theatre of the Damned
82.29 -- Annihilator - Metal
82.10 -- Iced Earth - Framing Armageddon - Something Wicked Part 1
82.09 -- Excalion - Waterlines
81.72 -- Rob Rock - Garden of Chaos
81.70 -- Sarcofagus - Core Values
81.65 -- Nightwish - Dark Passion Play
81.50 -- Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain
81.32 -- Sonata Arctica - Unia
80.83 -- Blue Cheer - What Doesn't Kill You
80.53 -- Nostradameus - Pathways
80.03 -- Ride the Sky - New Protection
79.95 -- Pride Tiger - The Lucky Ones
79.60 -- Great Sorrow - New Day Comes
79.07 -- Domine - Ancient Spirit Rising
78.62 -- Threshold - Dead Reckoning
77.81 -- Seven Witches - Deadly Sins
77.76 -- Scorpions - Humanity - Hour 1
77.33 -- Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin
77.19 -- Allen / Lande - The Revenge
76.11 -- Morgana Lefay - Aberrations of the Mind
76.10 -- Shaman - Immortal
75.91 -- Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
75.82 -- Prophesia - Eye of the Storm
74.53 -- Barbarian - Heavy Metal Resurrección
74.05 -- Jikuu Kaizoku Seven Seas - Confusion
73.86 -- Bloodbound - Book of the Dead
73.39 -- Mägo de Oz - La Ciudad De Los Árboles
72.60 -- Evile - Enter the Grave
72.10 -- Anvil - This is Thirteen
71.35 -- Symphorce - Become Death
70.14 -- Double Dealer - Desert Of Lost Souls
69.94 -- Ken Hensley - Blood On the Highway
69.26 -- Circus Maximus - Isolate
67.31 -- Labyrinth - 6 Days to Nowhere
66.85 -- Edu Falaschi - Almah
65.57 -- Icy Steel - Icy Steel
64.78 -- Dawn of Destiny - Begins
61.38 -- Manowar - Gods of War
53.48 -- Civilization One - Revolution Rising