BravePicks 2012 is behind us and it's time for the scribes to speak. For the next few days we will share individual lists from each devout metalhead here at BraveWords including their Top Ten Albums, Top 3 Brave Embarrassments (always a fan fave!), Top 3 Concerts, Metal Prediction For 2012, What/Who Needs To Stop In 2013 and a short overview of the year. Here we go...

"Metal" Tim Henderson's Top 10 of 2012

1) VAN HALEN – A Different Kind Of Truth (Interscope)

2) TESTAMENT – Dark Roots Of Earth (Nuclear Blast)

3) KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist (Nuclear Blast)

4) RUSH – Clockwork Angels (Anthem)

5) ACCEPT - Stalingrad (Nuclear Blast)

6) CANNIBAL CORPSE – Torture (Metal Blade)

7) GRAVE - Endless Procession Of Souls (Century Media)

8) OVERKILL - The Electric Age (eOne)

9) DOKKEN - Broken Bones (Frontiers)

10) ANAAL NATHRAKH - Vanitas (Candlelight)

Top 3 Brave Embarrassments

1) AEROSMITH – Music From Another Dimension! (Sony)

Hate to beat a dead horse, but these guys need to get back on the saddle.

2) GEOFF TATE – Kings & Thieves (InsideOut)

This is just the very reason why QUEENSRŸCHE gave him the boot.

3) DEE SNIDER - Dee Does Broadway (Razor & Tie)

Okay, I know we'll never get another TWISTED SISTED album, but c'mon, is this the better option?

Top 3 Concerts

1) Barge To Hell - Miami, FL to Nassau, Bahamas and then back to Miami, FL

2) Wacken - Wacken, Germany

3) IRON MAIDEN - Molson Ampitheater, Toronto

Metal Predictions For 2013

Up first, since we've heard a tiny taste is ALICE IN CHAINS. I hate to say 'Layne who' cuz I loved that guy, but these Seattleites are building on his legacy with pride and precision. 'Hollow' reminds me of the first time I heard 'Them Bones' at Foundations Forum 1992 when the tune was ravaging the Los Angeles airwaves. A heavy, haunting dose of down-tuned riffs and hardened chorus lines. If BLACK SABBATH can pull a VAN HALEN, then all the planets are aligned. Ironically, VH kicked the Sabs' ass in 1978 when they opened for them on their first big US tour. It's time for the tables to turn! It will only happen if Sharon is out of the mix, but this could be the ultimate revenge (in a fun way of course!). As Martin says, a Tate-less QUEENSRŸCHE and the Lynott-less THIN LIZZY (well, BLACK STAR RIDERS) could add to the "comeback" stories in 2013. More extremity from the visionary Peter Tägtgren and HYPOCRISY will be a breath of fresh air. And something new from the KING (DIAMOND) would be a welcome guest! SKID ROW? It's gonna happen, you know it. But Baz has a great sense of timing and when it feels good it will drop. You can't waste this moment as it won't happen again. And this QUEENSRŸCHE battle ... I think Tate made his bed long ago and he knows it. It's not too late for the "new" band to get back on course after (literally) years of mediocrity. Of course AC/DC will continue to come up, but let's hope they don't slip n' slide like they did on Black Ice.

What/Who Needs To Stop In 2013

The constant barrage of reissues, filling up my collection for the wrong reason. And think about it, we went from bands touring yearly in the '70s/'80s and then every three-five years prior to the digital generation. Now it's a parade of bands coming through every year, some trying to sell us classic album sets and ridiculously-priced VIP packages to boot! It's called 'royalty cheques are dropping so let's milk the fans for more!' Seriously, bands are now making albums cuz they are forced to go on tour, thus watering down the experience and quality is suffering as "musicians" are rushing new material. But think about it … if your "trade" is music, what do you do when the business model has changed and you are pushing 50 or 60? Switch fields? It's a sad state for some selling their wares on eBay and pushing mediocre new music. It's tainting the image and the brand. And these pledge campaigns? Why would I invest in an art form that hasn't been created yet? What is with the sense of entitlement? What are about your pride? I want to invest in the finished product … if it's worthy. You can't lean on your fans like a crutch. We're all working hard at investing in our future, but I'm not going to depend on/wait for somebody else to donate.

Thoughts on 2012

VAN HALEN did the unthinkable, even if it was pulling a few odd ideas from yesteryear, but they kick the shit out of virtually every band from that era. KISS, AEROSMITH, DEEP PURPLE and the like need to pay attention. Really the only other act that continues to amaze are RUSH; they easily could've cheapened out with a 2112 anniversary tour, but no, they deliver the goods again and journey the planet with glee. And let's hope they get into the Rock Hall, not that we should really give a toss. We've had the pissing matches on whether or not Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son is a valid MAIDEN album (ask Martin), but I was in my glory to see this over-looked gem performed live this summer. But the game-changer was METALLICA attaining the ownership of all their master recordings from Warner Music and starting their own label, Blackened Recordings. The biggest metal band on the planet just laid out the template for the future. EVERY band needs to pay attention. Wacken is always an adventure, but Barge To Hell was my surreal moment of the year, maybe the last decade, seeing the likes of AT THE GATES, BEHEMOTH, GRAVE, POSSESSED, SODOM, SEPULTURA, EXODUS, MAYHEM, ENSLAVED, SOILWORK, SACRED REICH and the beloved SANCTUARY up close n' personal on a ship!