Ghost Cult begins our “2021 End of Year Guest Post Extravaganza” with a slew of posts from bands, industry, PR pros, and more! We’ll be sharing lists, memories, and other shenanigans from our favorite bands, partners, music industry peers, and other folks we respect across the globe. In this edition, Christian Muenzner Eternity’s End and Obscura shares his Top Ten Albums of 2021! Purchase Eternity’s End – “Embers of War” album is out now via Prosthetic Records, and you can buy it here https://smarturl.it/Eternitysend
1. First Fragment – Glorie Eternelle
The band around our former guitarist Phil Tougas. The top level of neoclassical metal, this sounds what bands like Cacophony or Apocrypha would sound like today if they had kept evolving for the last 30 years. Fantastic stuff.
2. Edu Falaschi – Vera Cruz
The former Angra singer’s solo album. This sounds like the best Angra album Temple Of Shadows but on steroids. The craziest and most over the top double lead guitar playing I have ever heard in my life.
3. Blazon Stone – Damnation
Cedrick Forsberg is probably the most productive musician ever in the history of metal. These guys are basically a Running Wild worship band, but this is better than anything that Running Wild have done since The Rivalry, and I am glad these guys exist.
4. Bestial Invasion – Divine Comedy: Inferno
Unbelievable Technical Thrash Metal from Ukraine, featuring the amazing Denis Shvarts on lead guitar. Sick vocals. Also features a guest solo by the one and only Josh Christian (Toxik).
5. Cauldron Born – Legacy Of Atlantean Kings
This is technically a re-recording of the 2001 album And Rome Shall Fall by this great underrated US Power Metal band. On this version the great songs are for the first time given the proper treatment they deserve. Killer riffs and solos by Howie Bentley.
6. Pharaoh – The Powers That Be
Great riff-driven US Power Metal, featuring vocalist Tim Aymar who sang for Chuck Schuldiner’s Control Denied.
7. Stormkeep – Tales Of Othertime
Melodic Black Metal from the USA with some symphonic elements. This album sounds like a lovechild of Stormblast era Dimmu Borgir, the first 2 Dissection albums and Borknagar. What’s not to love about this?
8. Perpetual Etude – Now Is The Time
Great mix of Neoclassical Metal and Hard Rock. Not the most innovative band under the sun, but it takes the best elements of 80’s Yngwie, Europe and Rainbow and provides great new songs around an old but functioning formula. Better than anything Yngwie has done since Perpetual Flame. That Strat tone!
9. Crystal Viper – The Cult
Very solid new album by the Heavy/Power Metal veterans featuring the great vocals of Martha Gabriel. Sounds like a female fronted Running Wild at times.
10. Inferi – Vile Genesis
Tech Death with symphonic/neoclassical/power metal leanings and stellar guitar playing. These guys can do no wrong.