OT: The Avalounge: No Politics in the Lounge

[UncleRisto]

In preparation of spending Christmas with my parents, I got the early purchase Doom Eternal + Doom 64 pack for the Switch. I generally don't like shooters very much but the situation calls for extra entertainment. We'll see how the handheld mode handles.

 

[MartinSkoulYa]

All reviews I've seen seem to be in consensus that it's a great port to the switch and handheld is where it shines. I guess the logic is that there are better performers for playing it on the big screen but if you need it portably this holds up

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Any tried Cyberpunk77 yet? I ordered it but haven't started. I've heard there seems to be a lot of bugs so I might just wait awhile till things have been ironed out a bit. Curious of any other feedback though.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Any tried Cyberpunk77 yet? I ordered it but haven't started. I've heard there seems to be a lot of bugs so I might just wait awhile till things have been ironed out a bit. Curious of any other feedback though.

My girlfriend got it last night and everything looks sweet, but yeah like you said it’s crazy buggy. Once everything gets ironed out it should be a sweet game though.

 

[henchman21]

Any tried Cyberpunk77 yet? I ordered it but haven't started. I've heard there seems to be a lot of bugs so I might just wait awhile till things have been ironed out a bit. Curious of any other feedback though.

What system would you be playing it on? I have it for Xbox... my Series X runs it solidly with a few hiccups on framerate and the bugs (the next gen patch isn't out so running XOX code). My One X runs it okay... framerate and resolution take a hit, but works well enough. My old standard Xbox One can barely run the game... dips into the single digit frames and resolution can't be above 720p, but probably more in the 640p range. It is quite awful. I'd bet the Playstation ecosystem is similar here. Similar to XSX for PS5. PS4 below XOX, but playable. Standard PS4 would be terrible. I've read on PC it is also quite the hog on resources, and any GPU that isn't of the last ~2 years is going to struggle unless you turn down a lot of settings.

All that said, the game is going to be epic when they get the bugs sorted.

 

[McMetal]

My top 50 metal albums for 2020 is ready! Some people here expressed interest in seeing it earlier, so I'm going to post it here. Check it out and see if anything catches your interest!
@ABasin @Foppa2118

50) Vanden Plas - The Ghost Experiment - Illumination: My type of prog metal, flowing gracefully from one song to the next and reminding me of their excellent "Seraphic Clockwork" album.

49) Mastery - Severing the Earth: A stripped down neo-thrash debut, these Canadians infuse their rolling, thundering riffs with a sense of fun and energy that set them apart in a good year for the genre.

48) Crimson Sun - Fates: A bright, uplifting symphonic metal album, Crimson Sun adds a touch of Amaranthe in places, and some heavier drama in others, to create a great sophomore effort.

47) Lamb of God - Lamb of God: As caustic and violent as always, Lamb of God delivered an anger anthem that I needed in 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtVjIrRzC1A
46) Final Blast - Interplanetary War: Independently produced symphonic death metal that falls on the lighter edge of the genre, the sci-fi flavored orchestral flairs here drive a complex and epic take on the genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmeMIwOlAew
45) Ad Infinitum - Chapter I: Monarchy: A strong debut that displays the best of Melissa Bonny’s multifaceted voice, anything that showcases her is a winner in my book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxZFL1vUz8
44) Slow Fall - Beneath the Endless Rains: Great melancholic melodeath, these guys pull influences from Be'lakor, Opeth, and Insomnium to create a stellar debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy9TToYUD3U
43) Primal Fear - Metal Commando: A thunderous return to form, this is their best album since 16:6 and proves that Ralf Scheepers and Primal Fear are far from done after more than 20 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7171SvM-Ouk
42) Persuader - Necromancy: Persuader returns with their signature furious power/thrash attack, delivering a tight seven song album of neckbreakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7dFQj0MryI
41) Pyramaze - Epitaph: Pyramaze further hones their prog/power hybrid sound on this slightly mellower and more introspective album. Capped off with the magnificent epic "The Time Traveller". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnpYhKGEdA4
40) Ignea - The Realms of Fire & Death: A great mashup of symphonic metal and melodic death, this is one of the more creative expressions of symphonic metal to come out in recent years, seamlessly blending the two styles into something truly new. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-3I1ktx6Wc
39) Nightwish - Human :II: Nature: I appreciate the ambition that Tuomas showed here, but in the end it fell down my list anyway. A good album for what it is, I was hoping for more. If every song was as good as “Noise”, it would be a masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LczGSoibRe8
38) Operose - Oceans of Starlight: A magnificent power metal debut with heavy symphonic metal elements. The singing is wonderful, but I have to call attention to the masterful, epic instrumental closer here with my song recommendation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ak1JVXDvJk
37) Sacred Outcry - Damned For All Time: Old school heavy power/trad metal with a very dark atmosphere, driven by a unique and surprisingly grim performance by versatile superstar singer Yannis Papadopoulos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtTKBn42H1U
36) Damnation Angels - The Fiber of Our Being: A rare symphonic metal album in that it's often understated rather than bombastic, these songs are a welcome return to the scene for DA after so long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5LemcnUsc
35) Helion Prime - Question Everything: Terrific pure power metal, taking the best of the debut and handing the reins over to the talented Mary Z for vocal duties. Catchy, fun, and inspiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMBFboo3Wuo
34) Cristiano Filippini’s Flames of Heaven - The Force Within: Sounding like a cross between Rhapsody and Beast in Black, this Italian power metal supergroup delivered a fun, catchy set of anthems for their debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTi2ZPDeEbg
33) Vanishing Point - Dead Elysium: Marked by extraordinary keyboard work that adds profound depth and power, this is one of Vanishing Point's very best albums ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KojOjExrQk
32) Falconer - From a Dying Ember: Falconer’s swansong is a solid sendoff for one of the most unique bands in all of power metal. No surprises here, it’s just sad that this will be their last album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLzkV8hsk3c
31) Shrapnel - Palace For the Insane: Simply put, one of the most creative thrash metal albums I’ve ever heard. No two songs here are quite the same, except in their determination to drive relentlessly forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_DWMU7dhNk
30) Elanor - Way of the Sword: A really cool hybrid of power metal and melodeath, sounds like a combination of Pythia and Wintersun with a wonderful female singer who can hit some impressive high notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZbJZcvr9tM
29) Astra - Oathkeeper: Part I: Truly excellent symphonic death metal in a year littered with highlights, this under-the-radar debut balances explosive heaviness with clean singing and melodies throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsdp_W2qqWo
28) Dark Tranquillity - Moment: A more mellow and introspective album than some of their more recent fare, Moment draws favorable comparisons to Projector in that it really breathes some freshness into their formula and makes ample use of Mikael Stanne’s haunting clean vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4uR1ZgKrg
27) Goldenhall - Collide: A rare breed of symphonic power metal, not only using intricately layered vocals, but a baritone vocalist at that. Massive, epic, and complex, this album deserved way more attention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Wx6X4NK4k
26) Fractal Sun - Turmoil: An exciting prog metal debut that sounds like Caligula’s Horse meets early After Forever, driven by a vocal performance that calls to mind a young Floor Jansen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql_A4HGnZDE
25) Judicator - Let There Be Nothing: To call this ambitious would be an understatement. Judicator go full Blind Guardian with a sweeping, epic concept album that takes big risks in the songwriting, veering far from conventional structure and delivering one of the most unique power metal albums in years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4-3dhGfwec
24) Darker Half - If You Only Knew: Nine tracks of sneakily infectious power metal earworms, Darker Half stuck with me all year with this release. The songs all just work, and they will burrow into your head given half a chance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AewbTe9vNrQ
23) Serenity - The Last Knight: Released early this year, these songs have held up over the months, bringing a Kamelot-esque touch to Serenity’s signature bombast. Their best album in years in terms of quality throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgsQZDcJdsQ
22) Memories of Old - The Zeramin Game: Pure classic old-school Euro-power, this is fun as hell and brings a wonderful cheesy energy that recalls Rhapsody’s golden years. Utterly and refreshingly unashamed to be what they are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjoqVKOtLeo
21) Snow White Blood - Hope Springs Eternal: A wonderful symphonic metal debut that evokes Dark Sarah and other genre luminaries to kick off what I suspect will be a long and successful career. “Shared Hearts” is a top 10 song of the year for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrCQLIl1b70
20) Elegy of Madness - Invisible World: Nuanced and often trancelike symphonic metal, this is yet another example of the renaissance of creativity in the genre happening right now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLrVLqrMyRs
19) Re-Armed - Ignis Aeternam: Combining a welcome throwback to the melodeath genre’s Gothenburg roots with a modern sensibility, Ignis Aeternam delivers an endlessly replayable slate of quality songs. Wonderful use of tasteful keyboards throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDJj7IrfZEk
18) Illumishade - Eclyptic: Wake of Shadows: Really strong folk-y symphonic metal with a surprisingly heavy side to go with the melody. Driven by a terrific vocal performance, but the songwriting shines as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjQ-koJr9jY
17) Dakesis - Fractures: Terrific power metal from the UK, it hurts to rank them this low, it’s just a testament to how good the rest of the year’s output was that this gem falls to the teens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM67xAwJX8s
16) Terra Atlantica - Age of Steam: A wonderful throwback to the classic days of early 2000s power metal, these German newcomers take a step forward with their epic sophomore effort. Drawing inspiration from such bands as Rhapsody, Edguy, Hammerfall, and Iron Savior, this is a truly fun ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ8rMDg2uMc
15) Moonlight Haze - Lunaris: A worthy follow-up to the excellent debut, the versatility of Moonlight Haze continues to impress as they prove their first album was no flash in the pan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYowcd08Bqs
14) Forever’s Edge - HereAfter: An under the radar hit, this American progressive metal outfit delivers a great work of song-focused prog, mixing a small amount of female and harsh vocals in with a singer who reminds me of Russell Allen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HCO7yV8C8Q
13) Seven Spires - Emerald Seas: A diverse and powerful concept album, this album weaves from symphonic metal to death metal, led by the versatile voice of singer Adrienne Cowan, who switches seamlessly between soulful clean vocals and raspy growls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJAfvnj-4Nk
12) Paralydium - Worlds Beyond: Another throwback album to an earlier age, Paralydium brings back the very best of the early 2000s power/prog scene in a bright, epic debut album that harkens back to some of Pagan’s Mind’s best work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ijAtXkwwUc
11) Dyscordia - Delete/Rewrite: Dark and brooding, nobody does power metal quite like this Danish band, and once again they bring their utterly unique voice to a shining third album that will deliver endless surprises to the uninitiated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGLhND7JO_8
10) A Sound of Thunder - Parallel Eternity: Their first orchestral album, with a mix of new songs and orchestral re-imaginings of some of their greatest hits, this blew me away at the very end of the year. The symphonic elements blend so perfectly with their sound that I hope they revisit this style in the future. (A Sound of Thunder)
9) Wolfheart - Wolves of Karelia: A sweeping, brutal example of the best the symphonic death genre has to offer. Wolfheart reached a new level here, and this is a perfect encapsulation of what symphonic death metal should sound like when it’s done right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql2cHdrSJnM
8) Mors Principium Est - Seven: MPE has always been one of the top melodeath bands on the scene, but this one may be their best sounding and best written album since "The Unborn". Full of awesome keyboard flourishes and almost sing-along choruses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69IDNUI9aw8
7) Victorius - Space Ninjas From Hell: Ridiculous? Yes, but I don’t care, because the fact is, the songs are just awesome, and they hold up under repeated listens. These veteran power metallers take a page from Gloryhammer’s playbook here, and like their compatriots deliver endlessly catchy and gleefully fun anthems to cheese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XifjAwaswvQ
6) Dark Sarah - Grim: Now with a new record label and a new story to tell, Dark Sarah delivers their best album to date and enters the elite ranks of the symphonic metal genre. Surprisingly heavy, and matched by one of Heidi Parviainen’s best vocal performances, the album is a wonderful and expertly crafted journey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7ETaJPMb_Q
5) Lovebites - Electric Pentagram: With their third album, Lovebites cements themselves as one of the premier power metal bands in the world, delivering 12 more empowering anthems of riffy perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmzA1pBB1mI
4) Dynazty - The Dark Delight: A perfectly crafted piece of pure ear candy. Catchy, fun, and occasionally blessed with emotional heft, the voice of Nils Molin carries these irresistible songs through a roller coaster of power metal perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mcTd8YPQ18
3) Orbit Culture - Nija: Devastatingly heavy, this hybrid of groovy melodic death metal defies easy categorization, and defies all efforts to not headbang to these relentlessly driving downtuned anthems. In a good year for the extreme side of metal, Orbit Culture rose to the top. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odw_KMai2EA
2) Ani Lo Projekt - A Time Called Forever: 2020’s unsung metal hero. An utterly original blend of power, symphonic, progressive, and gothic metal that showcases Ani Lozanova’s exceptional and versatile singing voice. There’s a TON to like here for everyone who likes their metal melodic and hard to pin down stylistically. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_CuRs6dLE
1) Unleash the Archers - Abyss: Yet another masterpiece from UTA, a brilliant and sweeping epic concept album that proves that somehow, Brittany Hayes had another level to reach vocally. Riveting in its scope and intensity, once again the entire band delivers a tour de force performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGmjnkDTTI

 

[henchman21]

TLDR... just tell me, did Grimes make your list?

 

[McMetal]

TLDR... just tell me, did Grimes make your list?

BRB, let me Google who that is.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

What system would you be playing it on? I have it for Xbox... my Series X runs it solidly with a few hiccups on framerate and the bugs (the next gen patch isn't out so running XOX code). My One X runs it okay... framerate and resolution take a hit, but works well enough. My old standard Xbox One can barely run the game... dips into the single digit frames and resolution can't be above 720p, but probably more in the 640p range. It is quite awful. I'd bet the Playstation ecosystem is similar here. Similar to XSX for PS5. PS4 below XOX, but playable. Standard PS4 would be terrible. I've read on PC it is also quite the hog on resources, and any GPU that isn't of the last ~2 years is going to struggle unless you turn down a lot of settings.

All that said, the game is going to be epic when they get the bugs sorted.

Hell yeah, I've just got the Xbox One 2TB. Not sure I'll be getting the Series X for awhile... Hoping it doesn't make too much difference once the bugs are out.

 

[Foppa2118]

My top 50 metal albums for 2020 is ready! Some people here expressed interest in seeing it earlier, so I'm going to post it here. Check it out and see if anything catches your interest!
@ABasin @Foppa2118

50) Vanden Plas - The Ghost Experiment - Illumination: My type of prog metal, flowing gracefully from one song to the next and reminding me of their excellent "Seraphic Clockwork" album.

49) Mastery - Severing the Earth: A stripped down neo-thrash debut, these Canadians infuse their rolling, thundering riffs with a sense of fun and energy that set them apart in a good year for the genre.

48) Crimson Sun - Fates: A bright, uplifting symphonic metal album, Crimson Sun adds a touch of Amaranthe in places, and some heavier drama in others, to create a great sophomore effort.

47) Lamb of God - Lamb of God: As caustic and violent as always, Lamb of God delivered an anger anthem that I needed in 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtVjIrRzC1A
46) Final Blast - Interplanetary War: Independently produced symphonic death metal that falls on the lighter edge of the genre, the sci-fi flavored orchestral flairs here drive a complex and epic take on the genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmeMIwOlAew
45) Ad Infinitum - Chapter I: Monarchy: A strong debut that displays the best of Melissa Bonny’s multifaceted voice, anything that showcases her is a winner in my book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxZFL1vUz8
44) Slow Fall - Beneath the Endless Rains: Great melancholic melodeath, these guys pull influences from Be'lakor, Opeth, and Insomnium to create a stellar debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy9TToYUD3U
43) Primal Fear - Metal Commando: A thunderous return to form, this is their best album since 16:6 and proves that Ralf Scheepers and Primal Fear are far from done after more than 20 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7171SvM-Ouk
42) Persuader - Necromancy: Persuader returns with their signature furious power/thrash attack, delivering a tight seven song album of neckbreakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7dFQj0MryI
41) Pyramaze - Epitaph: Pyramaze further hones their prog/power hybrid sound on this slightly mellower and more introspective album. Capped off with the magnificent epic "The Time Traveller". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnpYhKGEdA4
40) Ignea - The Realms of Fire & Death: A great mashup of symphonic metal and melodic death, this is one of the more creative expressions of symphonic metal to come out in recent years, seamlessly blending the two styles into something truly new. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-3I1ktx6Wc
39) Nightwish - Human :II: Nature: I appreciate the ambition that Tuomas showed here, but in the end it fell down my list anyway. A good album for what it is, I was hoping for more. If every song was as good as “Noise”, it would be a masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LczGSoibRe8
38) Operose - Oceans of Starlight: A magnificent power metal debut with heavy symphonic metal elements. The singing is wonderful, but I have to call attention to the masterful, epic instrumental closer here with my song recommendation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ak1JVXDvJk
37) Sacred Outcry - Damned For All Time: Old school heavy power/trad metal with a very dark atmosphere, driven by a unique and surprisingly grim performance by versatile superstar singer Yannis Papadopoulos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtTKBn42H1U
36) Damnation Angels - The Fiber of Our Being: A rare symphonic metal album in that it's often understated rather than bombastic, these songs are a welcome return to the scene for DA after so long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5LemcnUsc
35) Helion Prime - Question Everything: Terrific pure power metal, taking the best of the debut and handing the reins over to the talented Mary Z for vocal duties. Catchy, fun, and inspiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMBFboo3Wuo
34) Cristiano Filippini’s Flames of Heaven - The Force Within: Sounding like a cross between Rhapsody and Beast in Black, this Italian power metal supergroup delivered a fun, catchy set of anthems for their debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTi2ZPDeEbg
33) Vanishing Point - Dead Elysium: Marked by extraordinary keyboard work that adds profound depth and power, this is one of Vanishing Point's very best albums ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KojOjExrQk
32) Falconer - From a Dying Ember: Falconer’s swansong is a solid sendoff for one of the most unique bands in all of power metal. No surprises here, it’s just sad that this will be their last album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLzkV8hsk3c
31) Shrapnel - Palace For the Insane: Simply put, one of the most creative thrash metal albums I’ve ever heard. No two songs here are quite the same, except in their determination to drive relentlessly forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_DWMU7dhNk
30) Elanor - Way of the Sword: A really cool hybrid of power metal and melodeath, sounds like a combination of Pythia and Wintersun with a wonderful female singer who can hit some impressive high notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZbJZcvr9tM
29) Astra - Oathkeeper: Part I: Truly excellent symphonic death metal in a year littered with highlights, this under-the-radar debut balances explosive heaviness with clean singing and melodies throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsdp_W2qqWo
28) Dark Tranquillity - Moment: A more mellow and introspective album than some of their more recent fare, Moment draws favorable comparisons to Projector in that it really breathes some freshness into their formula and makes ample use of Mikael Stanne’s haunting clean vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4uR1ZgKrg
27) Goldenhall - Collide: A rare breed of symphonic power metal, not only using intricately layered vocals, but a baritone vocalist at that. Massive, epic, and complex, this album deserved way more attention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Wx6X4NK4k
26) Fractal Sun - Turmoil: An exciting prog metal debut that sounds like Caligula’s Horse meets early After Forever, driven by a vocal performance that calls to mind a young Floor Jansen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql_A4HGnZDE
25) Judicator - Let There Be Nothing: To call this ambitious would be an understatement. Judicator go full Blind Guardian with a sweeping, epic concept album that takes big risks in the songwriting, veering far from conventional structure and delivering one of the most unique power metal albums in years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4-3dhGfwec
24) Darker Half - If You Only Knew: Nine tracks of sneakily infectious power metal earworms, Darker Half stuck with me all year with this release. The songs all just work, and they will burrow into your head given half a chance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AewbTe9vNrQ
23) Serenity - The Last Knight: Released early this year, these songs have held up over the months, bringing a Kamelot-esque touch to Serenity’s signature bombast. Their best album in years in terms of quality throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgsQZDcJdsQ
22) Memories of Old - The Zeramin Game: Pure classic old-school Euro-power, this is fun as hell and brings a wonderful cheesy energy that recalls Rhapsody’s golden years. Utterly and refreshingly unashamed to be what they are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjoqVKOtLeo
21) Snow White Blood - Hope Springs Eternal: A wonderful symphonic metal debut that evokes Dark Sarah and other genre luminaries to kick off what I suspect will be a long and successful career. “Shared Hearts” is a top 10 song of the year for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrCQLIl1b70
20) Elegy of Madness - Invisible World: Nuanced and often trancelike symphonic metal, this is yet another example of the renaissance of creativity in the genre happening right now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLrVLqrMyRs
19) Re-Armed - Ignis Aeternam: Combining a welcome throwback to the melodeath genre’s Gothenburg roots with a modern sensibility, Ignis Aeternam delivers an endlessly replayable slate of quality songs. Wonderful use of tasteful keyboards throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDJj7IrfZEk
18) Illumishade - Eclyptic: Wake of Shadows: Really strong folk-y symphonic metal with a surprisingly heavy side to go with the melody. Driven by a terrific vocal performance, but the songwriting shines as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjQ-koJr9jY
17) Dakesis - Fractures: Terrific power metal from the UK, it hurts to rank them this low, it’s just a testament to how good the rest of the year’s output was that this gem falls to the teens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM67xAwJX8s
16) Terra Atlantica - Age of Steam: A wonderful throwback to the classic days of early 2000s power metal, these German newcomers take a step forward with their epic sophomore effort. Drawing inspiration from such bands as Rhapsody, Edguy, Hammerfall, and Iron Savior, this is a truly fun ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ8rMDg2uMc
15) Moonlight Haze - Lunaris: A worthy follow-up to the excellent debut, the versatility of Moonlight Haze continues to impress as they prove their first album was no flash in the pan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYowcd08Bqs
14) Forever’s Edge - HereAfter: An under the radar hit, this American progressive metal outfit delivers a great work of song-focused prog, mixing a small amount of female and harsh vocals in with a singer who reminds me of Russell Allen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HCO7yV8C8Q
13) Seven Spires - Emerald Seas: A diverse and powerful concept album, this album weaves from symphonic metal to death metal, led by the versatile voice of singer Adrienne Cowan, who switches seamlessly between soulful clean vocals and raspy growls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJAfvnj-4Nk
12) Paralydium - Worlds Beyond: Another throwback album to an earlier age, Paralydium brings back the very best of the early 2000s power/prog scene in a bright, epic debut album that harkens back to some of Pagan’s Mind’s best work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ijAtXkwwUc
11) Dyscordia - Delete/Rewrite: Dark and brooding, nobody does power metal quite like this Danish band, and once again they bring their utterly unique voice to a shining third album that will deliver endless surprises to the uninitiated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGLhND7JO_8
10) A Sound of Thunder - Parallel Eternity: Their first orchestral album, with a mix of new songs and orchestral re-imaginings of some of their greatest hits, this blew me away at the very end of the year. The symphonic elements blend so perfectly with their sound that I hope they revisit this style in the future. (A Sound of Thunder)
9) Wolfheart - Wolves of Karelia: A sweeping, brutal example of the best the symphonic death genre has to offer. Wolfheart reached a new level here, and this is a perfect encapsulation of what symphonic death metal should sound like when it’s done right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql2cHdrSJnM
8) Mors Principium Est - Seven: MPE has always been one of the top melodeath bands on the scene, but this one may be their best sounding and best written album since "The Unborn". Full of awesome keyboard flourishes and almost sing-along choruses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69IDNUI9aw8
7) Victorius - Space Ninjas From Hell: Ridiculous? Yes, but I don’t care, because the fact is, the songs are just awesome, and they hold up under repeated listens. These veteran power metallers take a page from Gloryhammer’s playbook here, and like their compatriots deliver endlessly catchy and gleefully fun anthems to cheese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XifjAwaswvQ
6) Dark Sarah - Grim: Now with a new record label and a new story to tell, Dark Sarah delivers their best album to date and enters the elite ranks of the symphonic metal genre. Surprisingly heavy, and matched by one of Heidi Parviainen’s best vocal performances, the album is a wonderful and expertly crafted journey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7ETaJPMb_Q
5) Lovebites - Electric Pentagram: With their third album, Lovebites cements themselves as one of the premier power metal bands in the world, delivering 12 more empowering anthems of riffy perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmzA1pBB1mI
4) Dynazty - The Dark Delight: A perfectly crafted piece of pure ear candy. Catchy, fun, and occasionally blessed with emotional heft, the voice of Nils Molin carries these irresistible songs through a roller coaster of power metal perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mcTd8YPQ18
3) Orbit Culture - Nija: Devastatingly heavy, this hybrid of groovy melodic death metal defies easy categorization, and defies all efforts to not headbang to these relentlessly driving downtuned anthems. In a good year for the extreme side of metal, Orbit Culture rose to the top. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odw_KMai2EA
2) Ani Lo Projekt - A Time Called Forever: 2020’s unsung metal hero. An utterly original blend of power, symphonic, progressive, and gothic metal that showcases Ani Lozanova’s exceptional and versatile singing voice. There’s a TON to like here for everyone who likes their metal melodic and hard to pin down stylistically. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_CuRs6dLE
1) Unleash the Archers - Abyss: Yet another masterpiece from UTA, a brilliant and sweeping epic concept album that proves that somehow, Brittany Hayes had another level to reach vocally. Riveting in its scope and intensity, once again the entire band delivers a tour de force performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGmjnkDTTI

Awesome man, thanks for the list! I don't know any of these bands but I'm down to check them out.

 

[McMetal]

Awesome man, thanks for the list! I don't know any of these bands but I'm down to check them out.

Lots of good stuff on there, and decent variety, too. The linked songs are all good places to start for each album. Hope something grabs your interest!

 

[UncleRisto]

My top 50 metal albums for 2020 is ready! Some people here expressed interest in seeing it earlier, so I'm going to post it here. Check it out and see if anything catches your interest!
@ABasin @Foppa2118

50) Vanden Plas - The Ghost Experiment - Illumination: My type of prog metal, flowing gracefully from one song to the next and reminding me of their excellent "Seraphic Clockwork" album.

49) Mastery - Severing the Earth: A stripped down neo-thrash debut, these Canadians infuse their rolling, thundering riffs with a sense of fun and energy that set them apart in a good year for the genre.

48) Crimson Sun - Fates: A bright, uplifting symphonic metal album, Crimson Sun adds a touch of Amaranthe in places, and some heavier drama in others, to create a great sophomore effort.

47) Lamb of God - Lamb of God: As caustic and violent as always, Lamb of God delivered an anger anthem that I needed in 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtVjIrRzC1A
46) Final Blast - Interplanetary War: Independently produced symphonic death metal that falls on the lighter edge of the genre, the sci-fi flavored orchestral flairs here drive a complex and epic take on the genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmeMIwOlAew
45) Ad Infinitum - Chapter I: Monarchy: A strong debut that displays the best of Melissa Bonny’s multifaceted voice, anything that showcases her is a winner in my book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxZFL1vUz8
44) Slow Fall - Beneath the Endless Rains: Great melancholic melodeath, these guys pull influences from Be'lakor, Opeth, and Insomnium to create a stellar debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy9TToYUD3U
43) Primal Fear - Metal Commando: A thunderous return to form, this is their best album since 16:6 and proves that Ralf Scheepers and Primal Fear are far from done after more than 20 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7171SvM-Ouk
42) Persuader - Necromancy: Persuader returns with their signature furious power/thrash attack, delivering a tight seven song album of neckbreakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7dFQj0MryI
41) Pyramaze - Epitaph: Pyramaze further hones their prog/power hybrid sound on this slightly mellower and more introspective album. Capped off with the magnificent epic "The Time Traveller". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnpYhKGEdA4
40) Ignea - The Realms of Fire & Death: A great mashup of symphonic metal and melodic death, this is one of the more creative expressions of symphonic metal to come out in recent years, seamlessly blending the two styles into something truly new. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-3I1ktx6Wc
39) Nightwish - Human :II: Nature: I appreciate the ambition that Tuomas showed here, but in the end it fell down my list anyway. A good album for what it is, I was hoping for more. If every song was as good as “Noise”, it would be a masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LczGSoibRe8
38) Operose - Oceans of Starlight: A magnificent power metal debut with heavy symphonic metal elements. The singing is wonderful, but I have to call attention to the masterful, epic instrumental closer here with my song recommendation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ak1JVXDvJk
37) Sacred Outcry - Damned For All Time: Old school heavy power/trad metal with a very dark atmosphere, driven by a unique and surprisingly grim performance by versatile superstar singer Yannis Papadopoulos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtTKBn42H1U
36) Damnation Angels - The Fiber of Our Being: A rare symphonic metal album in that it's often understated rather than bombastic, these songs are a welcome return to the scene for DA after so long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5LemcnUsc
35) Helion Prime - Question Everything: Terrific pure power metal, taking the best of the debut and handing the reins over to the talented Mary Z for vocal duties. Catchy, fun, and inspiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMBFboo3Wuo
34) Cristiano Filippini’s Flames of Heaven - The Force Within: Sounding like a cross between Rhapsody and Beast in Black, this Italian power metal supergroup delivered a fun, catchy set of anthems for their debut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTi2ZPDeEbg
33) Vanishing Point - Dead Elysium: Marked by extraordinary keyboard work that adds profound depth and power, this is one of Vanishing Point's very best albums ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KojOjExrQk
32) Falconer - From a Dying Ember: Falconer’s swansong is a solid sendoff for one of the most unique bands in all of power metal. No surprises here, it’s just sad that this will be their last album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLzkV8hsk3c
31) Shrapnel - Palace For the Insane: Simply put, one of the most creative thrash metal albums I’ve ever heard. No two songs here are quite the same, except in their determination to drive relentlessly forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_DWMU7dhNk
30) Elanor - Way of the Sword: A really cool hybrid of power metal and melodeath, sounds like a combination of Pythia and Wintersun with a wonderful female singer who can hit some impressive high notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZbJZcvr9tM
29) Astra - Oathkeeper: Part I: Truly excellent symphonic death metal in a year littered with highlights, this under-the-radar debut balances explosive heaviness with clean singing and melodies throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsdp_W2qqWo
28) Dark Tranquillity - Moment: A more mellow and introspective album than some of their more recent fare, Moment draws favorable comparisons to Projector in that it really breathes some freshness into their formula and makes ample use of Mikael Stanne’s haunting clean vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4uR1ZgKrg
27) Goldenhall - Collide: A rare breed of symphonic power metal, not only using intricately layered vocals, but a baritone vocalist at that. Massive, epic, and complex, this album deserved way more attention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Wx6X4NK4k
26) Fractal Sun - Turmoil: An exciting prog metal debut that sounds like Caligula’s Horse meets early After Forever, driven by a vocal performance that calls to mind a young Floor Jansen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql_A4HGnZDE
25) Judicator - Let There Be Nothing: To call this ambitious would be an understatement. Judicator go full Blind Guardian with a sweeping, epic concept album that takes big risks in the songwriting, veering far from conventional structure and delivering one of the most unique power metal albums in years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4-3dhGfwec
24) Darker Half - If You Only Knew: Nine tracks of sneakily infectious power metal earworms, Darker Half stuck with me all year with this release. The songs all just work, and they will burrow into your head given half a chance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AewbTe9vNrQ
23) Serenity - The Last Knight: Released early this year, these songs have held up over the months, bringing a Kamelot-esque touch to Serenity’s signature bombast. Their best album in years in terms of quality throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgsQZDcJdsQ
22) Memories of Old - The Zeramin Game: Pure classic old-school Euro-power, this is fun as hell and brings a wonderful cheesy energy that recalls Rhapsody’s golden years. Utterly and refreshingly unashamed to be what they are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjoqVKOtLeo
21) Snow White Blood - Hope Springs Eternal: A wonderful symphonic metal debut that evokes Dark Sarah and other genre luminaries to kick off what I suspect will be a long and successful career. “Shared Hearts” is a top 10 song of the year for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrCQLIl1b70
20) Elegy of Madness - Invisible World: Nuanced and often trancelike symphonic metal, this is yet another example of the renaissance of creativity in the genre happening right now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLrVLqrMyRs
19) Re-Armed - Ignis Aeternam: Combining a welcome throwback to the melodeath genre’s Gothenburg roots with a modern sensibility, Ignis Aeternam delivers an endlessly replayable slate of quality songs. Wonderful use of tasteful keyboards throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDJj7IrfZEk
18) Illumishade - Eclyptic: Wake of Shadows: Really strong folk-y symphonic metal with a surprisingly heavy side to go with the melody. Driven by a terrific vocal performance, but the songwriting shines as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjQ-koJr9jY
17) Dakesis - Fractures: Terrific power metal from the UK, it hurts to rank them this low, it’s just a testament to how good the rest of the year’s output was that this gem falls to the teens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM67xAwJX8s
16) Terra Atlantica - Age of Steam: A wonderful throwback to the classic days of early 2000s power metal, these German newcomers take a step forward with their epic sophomore effort. Drawing inspiration from such bands as Rhapsody, Edguy, Hammerfall, and Iron Savior, this is a truly fun ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ8rMDg2uMc
15) Moonlight Haze - Lunaris: A worthy follow-up to the excellent debut, the versatility of Moonlight Haze continues to impress as they prove their first album was no flash in the pan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYowcd08Bqs
14) Forever’s Edge - HereAfter: An under the radar hit, this American progressive metal outfit delivers a great work of song-focused prog, mixing a small amount of female and harsh vocals in with a singer who reminds me of Russell Allen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HCO7yV8C8Q
13) Seven Spires - Emerald Seas: A diverse and powerful concept album, this album weaves from symphonic metal to death metal, led by the versatile voice of singer Adrienne Cowan, who switches seamlessly between soulful clean vocals and raspy growls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJAfvnj-4Nk
12) Paralydium - Worlds Beyond: Another throwback album to an earlier age, Paralydium brings back the very best of the early 2000s power/prog scene in a bright, epic debut album that harkens back to some of Pagan’s Mind’s best work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ijAtXkwwUc
11) Dyscordia - Delete/Rewrite: Dark and brooding, nobody does power metal quite like this Danish band, and once again they bring their utterly unique voice to a shining third album that will deliver endless surprises to the uninitiated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGLhND7JO_8
10) A Sound of Thunder - Parallel Eternity: Their first orchestral album, with a mix of new songs and orchestral re-imaginings of some of their greatest hits, this blew me away at the very end of the year. The symphonic elements blend so perfectly with their sound that I hope they revisit this style in the future. (A Sound of Thunder)
9) Wolfheart - Wolves of Karelia: A sweeping, brutal example of the best the symphonic death genre has to offer. Wolfheart reached a new level here, and this is a perfect encapsulation of what symphonic death metal should sound like when it’s done right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql2cHdrSJnM
8) Mors Principium Est - Seven: MPE has always been one of the top melodeath bands on the scene, but this one may be their best sounding and best written album since "The Unborn". Full of awesome keyboard flourishes and almost sing-along choruses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69IDNUI9aw8
7) Victorius - Space Ninjas From Hell: Ridiculous? Yes, but I don’t care, because the fact is, the songs are just awesome, and they hold up under repeated listens. These veteran power metallers take a page from Gloryhammer’s playbook here, and like their compatriots deliver endlessly catchy and gleefully fun anthems to cheese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XifjAwaswvQ
6) Dark Sarah - Grim: Now with a new record label and a new story to tell, Dark Sarah delivers their best album to date and enters the elite ranks of the symphonic metal genre. Surprisingly heavy, and matched by one of Heidi Parviainen’s best vocal performances, the album is a wonderful and expertly crafted journey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7ETaJPMb_Q
5) Lovebites - Electric Pentagram: With their third album, Lovebites cements themselves as one of the premier power metal bands in the world, delivering 12 more empowering anthems of riffy perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmzA1pBB1mI
4) Dynazty - The Dark Delight: A perfectly crafted piece of pure ear candy. Catchy, fun, and occasionally blessed with emotional heft, the voice of Nils Molin carries these irresistible songs through a roller coaster of power metal perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mcTd8YPQ18
3) Orbit Culture - Nija: Devastatingly heavy, this hybrid of groovy melodic death metal defies easy categorization, and defies all efforts to not headbang to these relentlessly driving downtuned anthems. In a good year for the extreme side of metal, Orbit Culture rose to the top. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odw_KMai2EA
2) Ani Lo Projekt - A Time Called Forever: 2020’s unsung metal hero. An utterly original blend of power, symphonic, progressive, and gothic metal that showcases Ani Lozanova’s exceptional and versatile singing voice. There’s a TON to like here for everyone who likes their metal melodic and hard to pin down stylistically. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_CuRs6dLE
1) Unleash the Archers - Abyss: Yet another masterpiece from UTA, a brilliant and sweeping epic concept album that proves that somehow, Brittany Hayes had another level to reach vocally. Riveting in its scope and intensity, once again the entire band delivers a tour de force performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGmjnkDTTI

As one of two albums I listened to on this list, and the only one I listened to more than once, I'm sure Lamb of God deserves better.

TLDR... just tell me, did Grimes make your list?

Frank?

All reviews I've seen seem to be in consensus that it's a great port to the switch and handheld is where it shines. I guess the logic is that there are better performers for playing it on the big screen but if you need it portably this holds up

Yeah, that's definitely the logic. I've tried it a bit now and just as someone who has seen the full development of handheld gaming (=SUPER OLD ) it's unbelievable to think how much is happening in a handheld game. And the performance is stable, even if it's obviously not top of the line. In handheld it looks like an earlier generation's flagship game. Too bad I f***ing suck at shooters.

 

[S E P H]

Not surprised to see UtA's as @McMetal 's number one band. It's ridiculous and not really my style, but their title song on that album is pretty damn good. Modern day Iron Madien style from what I've heard from them.

 

[UncleRisto]

It was between "Unleash the Archers" and "We the Virgins", but the former rolled off the tongue better.

Got em.

 

[McMetal]

As one of two albums I listened to on this list, and the only one I listened to more than once, I'm sure Lamb of God deserves better.

The thing is, even ending up in the 40s on my list means I really, really liked it. I had to make some painful cuts to even get it down to 50. I consume a LOT of metal, so a top 50 really is the cream of the crop even though it seems like a lot.

And yeah, Unleash the Archers is a dumb band name. But their last two albums are absolute classics, so I couldn't care less about the name. Brittany Hayes is an extraordinary singer, with power and range that puts her in the elite of the elite.

 

[UncleRisto]

The thing is, even ending up in the 40s on my list means I really, really liked it. I had to make some painful cuts to even get it down to 50. I consume a LOT of metal, so a top 50 really is the cream of the crop even though it seems like a lot.

I'm pretty sure there weren't 50 albums released in 2020 in total.

so I couldn't care less about the name.

Oh, of course.

 

[McMetal]

I'm pretty sure there weren't 50 albums released in 2020 in total.

Oh, of course.

Just from ones I enjoyed, there were nearly 100. Plus many more that I listened to once (or partially) and didn't care for. About 60 or so were in serious contention for the list. I debated doing an honorable mention category for those, but it felt like a copout, so I cut it off at 50.

 

[dahrougem2]

How the **** does anyone listen to metal?

 

[sethro109]

How the **** does anyone listen to metal?

Well, it is the best genre of music.

 

[UncleRisto]

How the **** does anyone listen to metal?

 

[Avsboy]

You listen to Bach?

 

[UncleRisto]

You listen to Bach?

He had maximum whiteness in his powdered syphilis wig.

 

[McMetal]

How the **** does anyone listen to metal?

There's something about it that's always just spoken to me, ever since I first heard it as a teenager. It has a bite to it and an emotional intensity that gets me invested. Metal is about passion and strong emotions, and so the intensity of the feelings invoked is addictive. So whether it's anger or defiance or glory in battle, that emotional punch is what matters.

To each their own, though. I totally get that metal isn't for everyone. Musical taste is always subjective to the listener, even within the metalhead community. All the other lists I've read from my friends have some similarities, but no two are alike.

I do firmly believe that more people would like metal if they understood it better, beyond the caricature of "Satan and Screaming" that most people think of. I'll aggressively evangelize for power metal given any opportunity, but in the end some people just don't speak that language musically, and that's fine.

 

[dahrougem2]

There's something about it that's always just spoken to me, ever since I first heard it as a teenager. It has a bite to it and an emotional intensity that gets me invested. Metal is about passion and strong emotions, and so the intensity of the feelings invoked is addictive. So whether it's anger or defiance or glory in battle, that emotional punch is what matters.

To each their own, though. I totally get that metal isn't for everyone. Musical taste is always subjective to the listener, even within the metalhead community. All the other lists I've read from my friends have some similarities, but no two are alike.

I do firmly believe that more people would like metal if they understood it better, beyond the caricature of "Satan and Screaming" that most people think of. I'll aggressively evangelize for power metal given any opportunity, but in the end some people just don't speak that language musically, and that's fine.

That is 100% what I think of with regard to metal music lol.

 

[McMetal]

That is 100% what I think of with regard to metal music lol.

And in a lot of cases, that's not inaccurate. But it doesn't capture the full breadth of the genre. From Trees of Eternity to Blind Guardian to Nightwish, there's also a lot of material that sounds nothing like that at all. It's an incredibly diverse genre, with something in it for damn near everybody (IMHO).