BravePicks 2020 - RAVEN's Metal City #27
December 5, 2020, 4 years ago
If there was any year that music was a true saviour, it was 2020. The ultimate diversion, as the world sits in virtual stagnation waiting anxiously for a fix. We will keep it brief here with the COVID commentary. Let’s let the music speak for itself. It is time to unveil our annual BravePicks countdown, where the devout scribes at BraveWords cast their votes at the hits and misses of the year! So who will be our #1? You’ll find out as we count down the BravePick Of 2020 each day in December!
Everybody has an opinion and it’s time for ours! And stay tuned in January for the writers’ individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), What/Who Needs To Stop In 2021? and Metal Predictions For 2021. Sadly no concerts. But all will be showcased come the New Year!
This virus can go to hell! Let’s let the Top 30 releases of 2020 rock your world!
BravePicks 2020
27) RAVEN - Metal City (SPV/Steamhammer)
39 years after their debut and the Gallagher brothers still have more energy than acts younger they are! With a bright, comic book style cover art, Metal City is exactly as its stated, pedal to the medal heavy/speed metal from the NWOBHM legends.
Hard to find fault with the album that most closely resembles those valued earlier records. Metal City heroically leaps to the #27 position on our countdown.
In his review, Mark Gromen praises: John yips and yelps across the speedy numbers, beginning with "The Power" lead-off. All kinds of whiz, bang, wallop effects (on bass AND guitar) for this one. Follow-up, "Top Of The Mountain" is like-minded, although the intensity has been heightened, slightly (from 8 to 9) as Mark goes off, on guitar. Repetitive, easy sing-along titular chorus, can see this one being a big crowd pleaser. While cautionary tale "Human Race" begins like a house afire, it also features the most sedate section of the ten inclusions. The title cut is mid-tempo, almost bluesy and autobiographic. More explosions of ear candy, from both stringed instruments. With opening yell and old school intonations, "Battlescarred" might be the Gallagher bros' mantra. All rather tame, until John says "Go!" as the guitar takes a cosmic journey and backing vocals echo "oh, oh.”
BravePicks 2020 Top 30
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27) RAVEN - Metal City (SPV/Steamhammer)
28) KIRK WINDSTEIN - Dream In Motion (Entertainment One)
29) VANDEN PLAS - The Ghost Xperiment: Illumination (Frontiers)
30) GREEN CARNATION - Leaves of Yesteryear (Season of Mist)
