BravePicks 2018 – SATAN's Cruel Magic #26
December 5, 2018, 6 years ago
Another gruelling year of heavy metal debauchery is almost over! Killing is our business ... and business is good! And this year the metal scene killed it with a myriad of heavy intrigue! So the votes are in and the compiling is complete! It's time to crown the winners and call out the the disappointments.
So who will be our #1? You’ll find out as we count down the BravePick Of 2018 each day in December! And our devout scribes killed it as well, putting their collective metal minds together to build the ultimate lists including individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), Top 3 Concerts, What/Who Needs To Stop In 2018? and Metal Predictions For 2019. All will be showcased come the New Year!
'Tis the season to commence the good, bad and ugly of 2018! On with the cream of this year's crop!
BravePicks 2018
26) SATAN – Cruel Magic (Metal Blade)
How can this magic be so cruel when it is so good? NWOBHM metallers Satan have shown remarkable consistency since their 2013 comeback album Life Sentence. Cruel Magic is top shelf traditional metal with mean riffs and keen melodies with memorable songs that cause for repeated listening.
Bearers of the NWOBHM movement and responsible for '83's seminal Court In The Act and '87's Suspended Sentence, Satan make it abundantly clear with their upcoming new album that in 2018, they are not interested in simply capitalizing on past glories. Comprised of 10 tracks of searing metal, it is blatantly and profoundly the work of the Newcastle upon Tyne natives at their very best, infusing their signature sound with a more raw, wild and spontaneous vibe than they showcased on 2015's mighty Atom By Atom - and in the process, displaying more passion and energy than slews of bands half their age.
The UK bangers summed up the album perfectly: "We truly feel we've got it 100% right this time, the balance between considered content and reckless performance. We always break loose on stage so why not on record?"
BravePicks 2018 Top 30
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26) SATAN - Cruel Magic (Metal Blade)
27) GRAHAM BONNET BAND - Meanwhile, Back In The Garage (Frontiers)
28) MONSTROSITY – The Passage Of Existence (Metal Blade)
29) GRUESOME – Twisted Prayers (Relapse)
30) DIMMU BORGIR - Eonian (Nuclear Blast)
