If you thought Chris’ post was late, think again! The year of 2-0-1-6 was more insane – and busier – than any previous year for myself, and that has continued in 2017. I started last year fixing up a house in South Saint Louis where my girlfriend and I would begin inhabiting in early February, the same weekend that we found out we were expecting an unexpected surprise – a baby! Needless to say, from that point on life consisted of getting house stuff done, preparing for our new arrival and trying to spend time with each other before our lives became focused on our number one priority.
So, as you read my lists below, you’ll probably ask yourself “what about that new album from _____?!” or “what about the ____ show?!” as if I left out your pick for best album of the century. Well, truth be told, I missed a lot of the release dates and was late to the party, so to speak, on some of 2016 anticipated metal releases because, well, read the first paragraph again. In any case, these are the top albums, EPs and shows that were first to come to my mind as my favorites of 2016. Enjoy.
Top 10 Albums
- Allegaeon – Proponent for Sentience
- After the Burial – Dig Deep
- Devin Townsend Project – Transcendence
- Amon Amarth – Jomsviking
- Gojira – Magma
- Black Crown Initiate – Selves We Cannot Forgive
- Exmortus – Ride Forth
- Animals As Leaders – The Madness of Many
- Fleshgod Apocalypse – King
- Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason
- Apotheon – The Ascension
- Anup Sastry – Bloom
- Gruesome – Dimensions of Horror
- Aborted – Termination Redux
- Lamb of God – The Duke
- Ghost – Popestar
- Dysrhythmia – Veil of Control
- Stengah – Mechanic of the Sphere
- Sam Lanyon – Tracks
- Vipassi – Sunyata
Top 10 Concerts of 2016:
- Dark Tranquillity, Enforcer, Swallow the Sun, Starkill @ Fubar (StL, MO)
- Devin Townsend Project, BtBaM, Fallujah @ Mercury Ballroom (Louisville, KY)
- Meshuggah, High On Fire @ The Pageant (StL, MO)
- Amon Amarth, Entombed A.D., Exmortus @ The Pageant
- Black Crown Initiate @ Fubar
- Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Cryptopsy, Abysmal Dawn @ The Ready Room
- Intervals, Plini, Angel Vivaldi, Save Us From the Archon @ Fubar
- CHON, Polyphia, Strawberry Girls @ The Firebird
- Epica, Moonspell, Starkill @ The Ready Room
- Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After the Burial, Erra @ The Ready Room
My Pick for Reaching Legendary Status in 2016:
Sir Paul McCartney @ Busch Stadium
