10) Saxon - Carpe Diem
Propping up the rest of the list is the latest slab of excellence from NWOBHM veterans Saxon. With the exception of a slightly dodgy patch towards the end of the 1980s, Saxon have rarely released anything that is not great - and their twenty-fourth album Carpe Diem continues that excellent run of form. Many reviews have hailed this album as Saxon's best for years, but comments like that just make me wonder where those reviewers have been hiding in recent years. Carpe Diem is not the band's best for years because everything else that the band have put out recently has also been great - and Carpe Diem just continues on that trend. Now in his 70s frontman Biff Byford sounds as good as ever vocally, whilst the heavier sound that the modern Saxon have curated since the mid 1990s still sounds fresh and hard-hitting. The crystal clear production from Andy Sneap allows all five band members to shine, but as always it is the guitar duo of Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt who drive everything with their massive riffs and numerous shredded solos. There is a lot to love here, but Saxon fans of course already know that - and those new to the band could do worse than starting at album number 24.
Listen to: Carpe Diem (Seize the Day), Age of Steam & Living on the Limit
9) Reckless Love - Turborider
In my opening paragraph I discussed the 'fun factor' - and that sometimes albums get included in this list due to the sheer joy that they have brought me over the past year. The fifth album from the Finnish hair metal revival act Reckless Love is one such album, and I have listened to it incessantly since it dropped back in March. Following a five year gap since releasing InVader in 2016, Reckless Love roared back into life this year with Turborider - an album that, more than anything the band had done previously, embraced their love of all things synth-driven and poppy. Reckless Love have always been on of the poppiest of the newer hair metal acts, but Turborider doubles down on this, and is actually quite different from much of what they had done previously. Pepe's big guitar riffs are not as prominent as they once were, although he still shines throughout the album, whilst big synths and driving pop beats keep each song ticking. Despite the modern production sheen, the album is very much still rooted in the music of the 1980s - with frontman Olli Herman showcasing his knack for a big melody, with the spotlight shone on him more than ever here. Some might find the album to saccharine, but I love it - and it more than deserves to be included in this list.
Listen to: Turborider, Eyes of a Maniac & For the Love of Good Times
8) Amorphis - Halo
The general consensus seems to be that Amorphis' fourteenth album Halo is not quite as strong as the few that preceded it. I would generally agree with that assessment, but the Finnish prog/doom/gothic metal band are another act that rarely disappoints - and Halo is still an excellent representation of their melting pot sound. One thing that stands out from the off is that it seems to be much heavier than the band's other recent releases. Amorphis have always been a heavy band, of course, but recently the focus has been shifted more towards the more melancholic - and huge choruses driven by frontman Tomi Joutsen's clean vocals. Halo retains this, but the riffing is much more in-your-face this time, with Santeri Kallio's keyboards taking a little more of a backseat - and Joutsen often favouring his deep growls over his soaring cleans. The shift in sound is not drastic, though, and there are still plenty of hooks to be found throughout - but Halo is an album for a bit of a different mood which is why it seems to stand out from the band's other recent works. I have still listened to it an awful lot this year, though, and Amorphis remain one of the most consistent and unique modern metal bands.
Listen to: On the Dark Waters, The Moon & Seven Roads Come Together
7) Cats in Space - Kickstart the Sun
After debuting on 2020's excellent Atlantis, 'new' Cats in Space frontman Damien Edwards has taken the band to the next level on their fifth album Kickstart the Sun. Whilst I am yet to make my mind up on whether the album is Cats in Space's best overall, it is easily their most ambitious work to date and it feels like a landmark release - and possibly the album with which all of their subsequent work will be held up against. The band's trademark throwback 1970s glam rock sound is very much intact, but many of the songs here see the six-piece exploring some different sounds. A few of the songs have a slight progressive edge to them, which has resulted in some longer and more complex pieces than is typical for the band - whilst others channel the band's love of big hooks and over-the-top arrangements in ways similar to those found on their previous albums. In Edwards, bandleader and principal songwriter Greg Hart has found a true foil - and they seem to have development a strong writing partnership on this album which will only benefit the band going forward. Edwards' flamboyance and dynamic vocal performances has allowed Hart to push himself as a songwriter and arranger here - and the rest of the band have all stepped up to the plate too to create an album that brims with confidence.
Listen to: King of Stars, Teenage Millionaires & Bootleg Bandoleros
6) Dare - Road to Eden
Dare's eighth studio album was one that was not included on the initial draft of this list, but having given it some thought I felt that it deserved to take the place of an album by a much more well-known band. I enjoyed the other album a lot, but I had perhaps included it due to the name-recognition of the band in question and the fact that it was said-band's first album in quite a few years. Not including Road to Eden would have done Dare a disservice, though, as this is another album that I have had a huge amount of fun with over the last year. I also saw the band live three times, which certainly helped the album rise to the top, but the songcraft throughout the and the fantastic performances of both main man Darren Wharton and long-time guitarist Vinny Burns helped each of the album's 10 songs to shine. Road to Eden does not significantly shake up the formula of Dare's other recent albums, particularly that found on 2016's excellent Sacred Ground, but it does feel a little tougher-sounding overall - with more than a few nods back to the band's first couple of big-label albums. The smoothness and huskiness that the band have become known for in more recent years is retained, though, and Road to Eden feels like a great fusion of Dare's various eras as a result.
Listen to: Born in the Storm, Cradle to the Grave & Grace
5) Threshold - Dividing Lines
With Threshold's last three albums being my Albums of the Year in 2012 and 2017, and claiming second spot in 2014 - the fact that Dividing Lines, the band's twelfth album, 'only' sits at number five might seem like a bit of a drop-off. This is certainly not the case, though, as Dividing Lines is still very much classic Threshold in sound and style - but it only came out a month ago, meaning that I have not had as much time with it as many of the other albums included here. If it came out earlier in the year I have no doubt that it would have climbed further up the list, but, as it stands, fifth is still a very respectable position to end up in given the amount of other excellent albums that I could have included here. Threshold are one of those bands that have become extremely dependable over the years, with each new album continuing the band's long-established sound and delivering more tightly-crafted progressive metal anthems. Dividing Lines does feel heavier than the band's last few albums, though, and there is a murkiness here that harks back to some of Threshold's earlier releases. It also seems to be the album where returning frontman Glynn Morgan has truly made his mark. Most of 2017's Legends of the Shires was written and recorded before he re-joined the band, but on Dividing Lines he has made significant songwriting contributions - which compliment the writing of driving forces Karl Groom and
Richard West to create a memorable album that mixes darkness and melody perfectly.
Listen to: Hall of Echoes, Let It Burn & Complex
4) Ghost - Impera
If 2018 and 2019 were the years where I finally understood the Swedish band Ghost, then 2022 was the year that made me truly love them. As can be seen below they blew me away when I saw them live back in April, but before that they had already released one of my favourite releases of the year in the form of their fifth album Impera. Impera fully embraces the 1980s pop metal sound that reared its head on 2018's Prequelle, but in a much more complete and impressive way. Looking back, Prequelle now feels a bit like a glorified EP experimenting with a poppier sound - whereas Impera has built on the success of the last album's singles and created something special. It is easily my favourite Ghost album yet, as pretty much every song is packed full of huge hooks and tight musicianship that harks back to many of the great albums of the 1980s which bandleader Tobias Forge has so clearly been influenced by. Most of the Blue Öyster Cult/The Doors-esque spookiness from the band's first couple of albums is absent now - although there are still a few moments on the album that up the heaviness and overall creepy atmosphere somewhat, before the next big chorus crashes in. Despite the obvious influences that fuel Impera, though, no-one else really sounds like Ghost - and Impera is the album that will likely make them festival headliners going forward.
Listen to: Spillways, Call Me Little Sunshine & Watcher in the Sky
Since their 2012 rebirth thanks to frontman Todd La Torre being brought into the band, a new Queensrÿche album is always likely to find itself near the top of any yearly list of mine. Queensrÿche and Condition Hüman were my Albums of the Year in 2013 and 2015 respectively, whilst The Verdict came in at number three in 2019. It is fitting, then, that Digital Noise Alliance, the fourth Queensrÿche album of the La Torre era, also finds itself at number three in this list - and if it had come out earlier in the year than October it could well have found itself being placed higher. It does not do anything significantly different to the band's other recent albums - but at times it feels heavier and more in-your-face. I put this down to the drumming of Casey Grillo, who made his debut in the studio with the band here, who's excellent performance really propels the powerful progressive metal songs contained within. His fast-paced base allows the riffing of guitarists Michael Wilton and the returning Mike Stone to shine - and the trademark dual guitar leads and solo trade-offs between the two helps to further cement the classic Queensrÿche sound. This heavy base, combined with La Torre's interesting and dynamic vocal hooks, helps Digital Noise Alliance to be another high point in the lengthy Queensrÿche discography - and at this point I would not expect any less.
Listen to: In Extremis, Lost in Sorrow & Behind the Walls
2) Journey - Freedom
Considering how much I loved Eclipse, Journey's last album from 2011, I was very much hoping that some of the magic that made it such a personal favourite would be repurposed on its eventual follow up. Considering all of the legal drama that has surrounded the band over the past few years, and, indeed, continues to do so, and the fact that only guitarist Neal Schon seemed to actually want to write new material, the fact that Journey's fifteenth studio album Freedom is so good really is a miracle. I get the impression that keyboardists Jonathan Cain's contributions to the album had to essentially be forced out of him, and I doubt that I would be writing this if the COVID-19 pandemic did not happen, but Schon and Cain (despite their very clear and public differences) should be be proud of the 15 songs that make up Freedom. It is easily the band's most diverse album to date, and mixes huge AOR anthems with songs that hark back to the early days of the band - as well as an occasional rawer, bluesier sound which is something quite new for Journey. It is probably drummer and producer Narada Michael Walden that should get most of the credit for the album actually coming out, though, as I get the impression that he stitched Schon and Cain's ideas into songs - and his jazzy background probably contributed significantly to the album's diversity. Even the length of the album has not deterred me listening to it incessantly throughout the year, and if it turns out to be Journey's final album then it is a good way to go out.
Listen to: You Got the Best of Me, Live to Love Again & Beautiful as You Are
1) Marillion - An Hour Before It's Dark
As the British progressive rock act Marillion are one of my all-time favourite bands, the fact that their latest album An Hour Before It's Dark tops this list should surprise precisely no-one. In fairness, Fuck Everyone and Run 'only' came in at number two in 2016, but this year there has been nothing that has impressed or moved me as much as Marillion's latest opus. Marillion have been finding quite a lot of mainstream recognition and success again over the past decade or so, but I think that Fuck Everyone and Run really cemented that - and the formula of that album, lengthier, multi-part songs sitting around a few bite-sized pieces, was re-purposed here. Four long songs and two shorter pieces come together to create a diverse and sonically dense album - complete with frontman Steve Hogarth's typically whimsical and caustic lyrics and plenty of soaring melodies from guitarist Steve Rothery. Like so many albums of late, the COVID-19 pandemic is referenced throughout, but there are also some strong politically-charged moments here too - building on many of themes and anger that permeated Fuck Everyone and Run. An Hour Before It's Dark feels more concise overall, though, which perhaps makes it something of an easier listen. It is under an hour long for one, which is rarity for modern Marillion, and the overall sound is generally quite consistent - with emphasis given to keyboardist Mark Kelly's sweeping strings and soundscapes. It is an album that I will continue to get a lot of joy out of over the years to come, and it thoroughly deserves its top spot here.
Listen to: Be Hard on Yourself, The Crow and the Nightingale & Care
Whilst the above wraps up my coverage of 2022's albums, as always there were many other albums that could have been included in the above list. The album by a well-known band that I made reference to a few times above was The Zealot Gene by Jethro Tull. It was included in my original list, but it ended up making way for Dare's Road to Eden. The Zealot Gene is great though, especially considering the length of time between it and its predecessor - but it is not one I have revisited as much as some of those above. Another worth contender was Chicago XXXVIII: Born for This Moment which, along with Journey's Freedom, ensured that the summer months were packed with melodic rock. I ultimately decided not to include it, though, as it does run out of steam somewhat as it moves along - but the first half of the album contains some of 2022's best pop rock songs. The final honourable mention here goes to Lamb of God's Omens, which I also wanted to include. There is not much in my list that is significantly heavy this year, and Omens was one that I listened to quite a lot over the last few months. I will now move onto my favourite gigs of the year which, like last year, I am going to present in a simple top five format. I toyed with bringing back the 'small' and 'big' lists from previous years, but that never really made a lot of sense so I have just picked my five favourites of 2022 and listed them below. I went to so many gigs this year that picking only five was hard, but I am happy the the ones below are a great representation of my gigging year.
I generally do not believe it when bands say that they are on their farewell tour, but I would be surprised at this point if I ever saw Whitesnake again. Considering that frontman David Coverdale had to cancel the last few dates of the European tour and the whole of the US tour due to illness, I have a feeling that Whitesnake are indeed done now - so I was happy that I got to see one of my all-time favourite bands live one last time. Coverdale's voice has not been what it was for a while, but he can still put on a great arena rock show - and the modern incarnation of Whitesnake is a powerhouse rock band that gives all of the band's classic songs a real kick up the backside. This Birmingham show was very much a greatest hits set, which in fairness I had not really seen Whitesnake do before, so it was fun singing along to all of those timeless classic rock staples one last time - especially after having first enjoyed a barnstorming opening set from Sweden's Europe, who, in truth, were objectively the band of the night, and a professional set from what passes these days as Foreigner. The UK tour was billed as a co-headline tour, but it very much felt like Whitesnake's night - and it was great that so many came out to bid farewell to Coverdale.
I have seen Dream Theater a number of times now, and each occasion has been special. They tend to vary up the setlist quite significantly between each tour, and they are also good at highlighting new material when new albums are released. The shows in 2022 helped to promote 2021's A View from the the Top of the World, and the songs from that album featured heavily in the London show I went to back in April. The lengthy title track was a highlight, but it was great to hear a number of other older songs which I had not heard the band do live before - including the snappy 6:00 and the epic Bridges in the Sky. The much-maligned James LaBrie was in fine voice vocally throughout, whilst the rest of the band were up to their usual high standards. Seeing guitarist John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess play their complex solos so effortlessly never fails to impress, and the large crowd that was gathered in Wembley were held in raptures throughout. The overall highlight for me was the stunning encore rendition of the dynamic The Count of Tuscany - which ranged from fast-paced heavy riffing to that stunningly atmospheric mid-section.
Opening a show with a complete performance of your latest album is a brave move for any band, but Marillion are not really a band to stand on ceremony - and hitting the large crowd with a stunning full performance of An Hour Before It's Dark was certainly the right move. Whilst it is not a concept album, the album has a certain flow to it that means that it works well when played live in full - and I doubt that many who turned out complained about the way that the set was structured. All of the songs came across really well live, but it was perhaps the closing suite of Care that came alive the most - particularly during Steve Rothery's soaring central guitar solo. A few older songs followed, and they felt like something of a victory lap. It was great to hear the creeping Somewhere Else live, whilst regulars like Afraid of Sunlight and The Great Escape sounded as good as ever. Ending the night with a rousing, sing-a-long heavy rendition of oldie Sugar Mice was a good move, too, as it provided a relatively upbeat ending to what had largely been a pretty atmospheric show. It has been great being able to see Marillion live so many times in recent years, and 2022's show was another excellent addition to the collection.
I saw Saxon live twice in 2022. In many ways their big anniversary show in London back in January was more of a spectacle, but as far as setlist and performance goes the recent Leicester show was, in my opinion, better. I actually prefer it when Saxon are forward-looking, and the London show was a rare greatest hits set from the band. The Leicester show focused on 2022's Carpe Diem, though, and included six of the album's songs alongside plenty of classics and a handful of older deeper cuts. Saxon have always been the masters of putting together a varied set, and the large Leicester crowd lapped it all up. Those of us down near the front sang along to every song in the set, and the band sounded loud and powerful - and had more energy than many bands half their age. It also great to return to the De Montfort Hall after a number of years. It is one of those venues that everyone used to play at back in the 1970s and 1980s but is sadly rather neglected now. Saxon packed it out, though, and the NWOBHM legends continue to show why they are one of the best live metal bands on the circuit today.
When it came to 2022's best gig, though, only Ghost's masterful performance in Birmingham back at Easter could take the crown. If Ghost are not headlining Download at some point in the next few years, then whoever books the bands for the festival has really dropped the ball - as when it comes to new stadium rock/metal then there is no-one better than Ghost. This year's UK tour was their second at arena level here, but the stage show and spectacle was greater this time compared to their 2019 run. With many of the best songs from Impera played, alongside all the classic tunes from their previous albums, the setlist was lengthy and packed full of hooks - whilst Tobias Forge and his large backing band delivered a larger-than-life show that was more than suited for the big room that they were filling. Whilst there are many out there that still dismiss Ghost, there are many more who love everything that the band are about - and they have managed to retain a strong sense of fun throughout everything that they do, even whilst delivering such a live spectacle. In my view, Ghost are only going to get bigger - and perhaps it will not be too long before the stadiums of the UK beckon the Swedish rockers.
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