Drum roll please … or maybe a hearty dose of blast-beats! Tis the season to commence the good, bad and ugly of 2014! Of course we’re talking about BravePicks 2014, where all the staff put their collective metal minds together to build the ultimate lists including individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY),  Top 5 Brave Embarrassments, Top 3 Concerts, What/Who Needs To Stop In 2015? and Metal Predictions For 2015.

BravePicks 2014

15) GRAVE DIGGER – Return Of The Reaper (Napalm)

 

 

“This time I wanted to add more in the direction of Heavy Metal Breakdown and Witch Hunter,” Chris Boltendahl told BraveWords’ Kelley Simms back in July. A timeless heavy metal sound with cool guitar riffs and good choruses. This is for fans of good heavy metal songs and I think we’ve reached our goal because after one or two times listening, you can shout every song on the new album. Something that makes your fist pump up in the air.“

 

“On the new album, there are a lot of different topics”, Boltendahl continued. “I drive a lot in Germany and we have some laws. I drive very slow and calm in traffic. When I’m on the highway (the infamous Autobahn), I go 120 kilometers (75 mph). But there are some people who are driving 220 kilometers (137.5 mph), who are flashing their lights at you. (This inspired) some of the lyrics I wrote for the song “Road Rage Killer” for example. If you’re watching the TV everyday, you see Nigeria, Afghanistan, all the war and dying people. And that is where I put my impressions and ideas into songs like “Wargod.” You can refer to modern metal acts singing about social situations, but I put my impressions what I have for today and I put it in a special story with my lyrics to the people to show them, ‘Hey, will you stop this?’ It’s really also entertainment and we are not a political band. We are a metal band who want to entertain people.”

Read more at BraveWords.

 

BravePicks 2014 Top 30

15) GRAVE DIGGER – Return Of The Reaper (Napalm)

16) ACE FREHLEY - Space Invader (eOne)

17) MASTODON — Once More ’Round The Sun (Reprise)

18) EDGUY – Space Police: Defenders Of The Crown (Nuclear Blast)

19) THE DAGGER – The Dagger (Century Media)

20) PRIMORDIAL – Where Greater Men Have Fallen (Metal Blade)

21) UNISONIC - Light Of Dawn (earMusic)

22) PRIMAL FEAR – Delivering The Black (Frontiers)

23) DEVILMENT – The Great And Secret Show (Nuclear Blast)

24) MR. BIG - ...The Stories We Could Tell (Frontiers)

25) EYEHATEGOD – Eyehategod (Housecore)

26) STEEL PANTHER – All You Can Eat (Open E)

27) CALIFORNIA BREED – California Breed (Frontiers)

28) TESLA – Simplicity (Tesla Electric Co.)

29) PRONG – Ruining Lives (SPV/Steamhammer)

30) GAMMA RAY – Empire Of The Undead (EarMusic)