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

19) THE DAGGER – The Dagger (Century Media)

Swedish heavy metal rock band The Dagger leads the charge with untamable power of early '80’s NWOBHM and the spirit of epic '70’s rock and features Fred Estby (drums), Tobias Cristiansson (bass), David Blomqvist (guitars) and Jani Kataja (vocals), who have been active in bands such as Dismember, Grave and Sideburn. The Dagger were formed in 2009 (originally as Dagger, but upgraded the name ever since) with the aim to create real classic hard rock / heavy metal rooted in blues rock and to perform it simply the way they like to hear it themselves.

"The Dagger is ready to stab the world," exclaimed legendary Dismember drummer Fred Estby.

BravePicks 2014 Top 30

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)