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...

Greg Pratt's Top Ten Of 2012

1) PROPAGANDHI - Failed States (Epitaph)

2) TESTAMENT - Dark Roots of Earth (Nuclear Blast)

3) KREATOR - Phantom Antichrist (Nuclear Blast)

4) CONVERGE - All We Love We Leave Behind (Epitaph)

5) INCANTATION - Vanquish in Vengeance (Listenable)

6) NAPALM DEATH - Utilitarian (Century Media)

7) NEUROSIS - Honor Found In Decay (Neurot)

8) PIG DESTROYER - Book Burner (Relapse)

9) GAZA - No Absolutes in Human Suffering (Blackmarket Activities)

10) NILE - At the Gate of Sethu (Nuclear Blast)

Top 3 Brave Embarrassments

1) TORCHE - Harmonicraft (Volcom)

Haha, actually, I just like to pick on Torche because their fans get their panties in a bunch every single time. For the most over-rated band in the underground, they're actually pretty good.

2) KRAANIUM - Post Mortal Coital Fixation (Comatose Music)

Really, blindly picking any “lonely guys being as shocking as possible” death metal album. Musically, I love this stuff, but lyrically and visually, this is insane.

3) BLESSED BY A BROKEN HEART - Feel The Power (Tooth & Nail)

Maybe I just don't get it. Maybe in a couple of years I'll regret putting this on here. Maybe they're nice guys, and Canadian, too. But, again, this is insane.

Top 3 Concerts

1) ANTHRAX/TESTAMENT/DEATH ANGEL - Vogue Theatre - Vancouver, BC

2) DEEP PURPLE - Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre - Victoria, BC

3) JOHN FOGERTY - Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre - Victoria, BC

Metal Prediction For 2013

Even more raw blackthrash and nuclear war metal bands giving processed death metal the slap in the face it needs: if these bands can get a better handle on songwriting, a huge shift in extreme metal could be upon us as bands leave the big studios and big labels to get more raw and extreme once again.

What/who needs to stop in 2013?

Hundreds of poorly written websites, hundreds of sub-par metal albums being released, and countless unpaid-for downloads. Let's bring quality control back and maybe people will want to pay for things again.

Thoughts on 2012

Right off the bat, I gotta say CRYPTOPSY's self-titled album on any given day could have easily cracked my top 10, and GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT's debut is right up there too (and PARADISE LOST!). The former is especially impressive, given their written-off status after their experimental/already-forgot-the-name-of-it disc of already-forgot-the-year-it-came-out. But man, thrashing hardcore ragers from Winnipeg PROPAGANDHI steal the show this year with Failed States, an album that still, hundreds of listens later, is flooring me as I type these words. It's shockingly close to perfect music, people: check this album out. TESTAMENT never really disappoint, do they? With their latest, they prove they've still got it, in a big way. I mean, people talk about METALLICA and MEGADETH, but, quick: what was the last Megadeth album even called? Got ya! Testament... they're the thrash band we need to be worrying about the way we get our short curly grays in a knot over Hetfield and Mustaine. Then there's KREATOR, shit, speaking of perfect music, these guys are also getting really, really close to that level with their incredible thrash. CONVERGE did it again: these guys are one of a kind, truly energizing, recharging, honest music. Meanwhile, INCANTATION prove that sludgey death metal is the best kind of death metal, PIG DESTROYER grind like grind should be done, GAZA continue to break boundaries, and NEUROSIS are just Neurosis. And NAPALM DEATH are just Napalm Death. And NILE are just Nile. Sometimes we like it that way. Elsewhere on the musical spectrum, SOUNDGARDEN came back with a great comeback, didn't they? And, one other thing: ZZ TOP's 'I Gotsa Get Paid' is up there with Propagandhi's 'Rattan Cane' as the song of the year, easy. The mere fact that these two songs were released in 2012 gives me great, great hope that all is well in the world.