Anyways… we made a valiant attempt to get Chris to give us his top 10 picks, but he kept saying something about the Saw 6 soundtrack, so we bumped him down to five. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

Mark’s List:

There were so many huge releases in 2009, it was hard to pick a top 10.  The year saw new music from metal’s heaviest hitters (Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Megadeth, Mastodon, Anthrax) as well as comebacks from Alice in Chains and Immortal.  But ultimately, I believe 2009 will be remembered as when the new generation firmly took hold of the metal scene, as demonstrated by the outstanding releases from Skeletonwitch, Scale the Summit and Baroness.

10. Megadeth – Endgame (Roadrunner)
It’s no Rust in Peace Part-2, but with Endgame, Mustaine continues to prove that he can still crank out some great headbangers.
Check Out: This Day We Fight!

9. Slayer – World Painted Blood (American/Sony)
The second album since the return of Lombardo offers a new sound, but the same intensity.  One of the best album jackets/concepts of the year.
Check Out: Snuff

8. Devin Townsend Project – Addicted (Hevy Devy)
In a banner year for Devin, it’s the pop-metal soundtrack to a Anime-dream sequence (most likely depicting flight through a post-apocalyptic Japan).
Check Out: Hyperdrive!

7. Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plauge (Metal Blade)
Never ones to disappoint, Alex Webster and Corpsegrinder deliver the year’s most brutal offering.
Check Out: Carnivorous Swarm

6. Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue (Virgin/EMI)
Seattle’s finest create a comeback record worthy of the memory of Layne.
Check Out: Private Hell

5. Behemoth – Evangelion (Metal Blade/Nuclear Blast)
Negral conjures a maelstrom of demonic chaos that could easily convert anyone into a heretic.
Check Out: Ov Fire and the Void

4. Immortal – All Shall Fall (Nuclear Blast)
The Blizzard Beasts return with an incredible album that captures their focused and raw power.
Check Out: Arctic Swarm

3. Scale the Summit – Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic)
An instrumental masterpiece so rich in textures, tones and mood that it gets better with each listen.
Check Out: Dunes

2. Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire (Prosthetic)
A dominating statement from the Ohio thrash-masters.  An album that defines the term “thrash metal”.
Check Out: Submit to the Suffering

1. Baroness – Blue Record (Relapse)
Heavily layered with advanced concepts and dynamic playing.  Baroness once again delivers the album of the year.
Check Out: Jake Leg

Chris’ List:

Is a Top 5 acceptable?

5. Converge – Axe To Fall (Epitaph/Deathwish)
A somewhat fresh album from a familiar band that refuses to turn bad.
Check Out: Dark Horse

4. Cave In – Planets of Old (Hydrahead)
A four-song reunion works fine for me. Especially when the four songs kick tall ass.
Check Out: Retina Sees Rewind

3. Mastodon – Crack the Skye (Warner Bros.)
Bringing progress to Progressive Metal.
Check Out: Divinations

2. Baroness – Blue Record (Relapse)
The soundtrack that plays as my brothers and I descend to battle from snowy foothills astride armored polar bears, the perpetual winter sun smoldering unaware on a frozen, indifferent horizon.
Check Out: The Sweetest Curse

1. Propagandhi – Supporting Caste (Smallman)
Fast, angry, complicated. Even more so than before. The band affirms their category-defying musical identity, perhaps at the peak of their powers.
Check Out: Supporting Caste

Justin’s List:

Wow. What a fantastic year for metal. Narrowing this list down was quite a challenge… especially when I knew my top spot was reserved for a non-metal album. GASP! Yes folks… it’s true… my choice for album of the year goes to an indie rock band. But don’t worry… I’m not planning on wearing tight pants or reading Pitchfork anytime soon. In fact, I think I’ll carve “SLAYER” into my arm right now just to prove my self-worth. Eh… nevermind. That shit hurts.

10. Coalesce – Ox (Relapse)
15 years in, Coalesce continue to be one of the freshest sounding bands in the hardcore and metal community.
Check Out: Wild Ox Moan

9. Slayer – World Painted Blood (American/Sony)
Fast and raw… just how you probably like it. I know I do.
Check Out: Psychopathy Red

8. Converge – Axe To Fall (Epitaph/Deathwish)
As dynamic as it is heavy, Converge’s latest offering kicks you in the teeth before tucking you into bed. Awesome.
Check Out: Axe to Fall

7. Scale the Summit – Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic)
Remember the kind of music you and your friends were churning out in your early 20s? Yeah… it sucked compared to this.
Check Out: Sargasso Sea

6. Goes Cube – Another Day Has Passed (The End Records)
The Campbell’s Chunky Soup of the metal world… hearty and damn tasty!
Check Out: The Only Daughter

5. Baroness – Blue Record (Relapse)
Blue Record is one of those rare “all-emcompassing” albums. Great artwork, great music, great everything.
Check Out: The Sweetest Curse

4. Mastodon – Crack the Skye (Warner Bros.)
Like your beard, Crake the Skye really grows on you. And it totally rules.
Check Out: Oblivion

3. Revocation – Existence is Futile (Relapse)
These guys made me fall in love with shred all over again. When are we going to see the Existence is Futile tab book? (or vinyl for that matter… nudge nudge wink wink Relapse).
Check Out: Dismantle the Dictator

2. Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire (Prosthetic)
I Can Has Metal?
Check Out: Repulsive Salvation

1. The Life and Times – Tragic Boogie (Arena Rock/Hawthorn Street)
A non-metal album was my top choice of the year? Damn straight. Call me what you will, but me and my cred stand behind this decision. This band and album are absolutely amazing.
Check Out: Tragic Boogie

Honorable Mention:

Cave In – Planets of Old (Hydrahead)
Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue (Virgin/EMI)
Burnt By the Sun – Heart of Darkness (Relapse)
Buried Inside – Spoils of Failure (Relapse)
Propagandhi – Supporting Caste (Smallman)
Immortal – All Shall Fall (Nuclear Blast)
Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plauge (Metal Blade)

Justin’s Review:

Combine ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Stir and enjoy loud.

The above recipe is one that the members of Goes Cube followed very closely when cooking up their debut full-length “Another Day Has Passed” (out now on The End Records). It is also one that will guarantee a spot on my “Top 10 of 2009” list.

Now excuse me while I go gorge myself.

Justin’s Rating:

King says: “Ah… Metal Stew… a recipe fit for a King!”

Chris’ Review:

Any extended listening to FM rock radio these days reminds me that I’m reaching that target market age for those stations that play a lot of Pink Zep and AC Halen because they’re mixing in more 90s ‘classics’ than ever. (Did Alice in Chains get this much airplay when they were still a band? Oh wait, they’re a band again! Hmmm, pay my mortgage this month or buy concert tickets… ) Well, that shit just annoys me and most music lovers I know. The best music of my good ol’ days couldn’t be found on the radio back then and I don’t want it to be now. If I’m going to take an indulgent dip in the mosh pits of yore, I gotta hear something fresh, but a throwback to my aggro roots will really get my head twitching. That’s kind of how I hear Goes Cube.

That throwback reference might come from the fact that Goes Cube does not reference any major trend in currently popular music that I can identify. They’re from Brooklyn, New York, and I’ve assumed all recent bands from Brooklyn sound like 80’s bands (such as Justin’s favorites, Vampire Weekend). But Goes Cube does not sound like an 80’s band. They don’t scream like a _____core band, but they don’t have cheesy vocals like the moose rock bands on aforementioned FM stations. And they’re not technical, just straightforward heavy. Maybe this is a new trend.

Another Day Has Passed opens with a ripping blast, “Bluest Sky,” and while such riffage is reprised at times throughout the album, the metallic opening assault is a bit of a mislead. The single, “Grinding the Knife Blade,” showcases more of the Cube’s conventional songwriting abilities while simplicity works on other tracks (“Back to Basics,” “I Hold Grudges”). Unfortunately, some songs seem a bit too tossed off (“Goes Cube Song 30,” “Restore”) and a couple tracks are just plain stinkers (“Saab Sonnet,” “Urbana-Champaign”).

While it may take some flavoring to your taste (i.e. skipping a few tracks) the basic broth of a hearty, heavy, aggressive stew is here. Goes Cube’s bio claims the band is a noteworthy live act and I can totally see that. Put a band like Goes Cube on a bill with a bunch of metros in tight pants or teenagers doing finger gymnastics and I guarantee this band will slay. And that’s not just the good ol’ days talking.

Chris’ Rating:

King says: “Not a flawless effort, but I could pump my scepter to this.”

Have A Listen:

Goes Cube – The Only Daughter:

Download audio file (The_Only_Daughter.mp3)