BravePicks 2022 - The Scribes Speak!
Aaron Small

Top 20 Of 2022
1) WEDNESDAY 13 – Horrifier (Napalm Records)
2) ARCH ENEMY – Deceivers (Century Media)
3) SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS – 4 (Gibson Records)
4) GOATWHORE – Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven (Metal Blade)
5) BLOODBATH – Survival Of The Sickest (Napalm Records)
6) THE HALO EFFECT – Days Of The Lost (Nuclear Blast)
7) MOTOR SISTER – Get Off (Metal Blade)
8) AMORPHIS – Halo (Atomic Fire)
9) UGLY KID JOE – Rad Wings Of Destiny (Metalville Records)
10) ALTER BRIDGE – Pawns & Kings (Napalm Records)
11) CROWBAR – Zero And Below (MNRK Heavy)
12) THE COMMONERS – Find A Better Way (Gypsy Soul Records)
13) SOULFLY – Totem (Nuclear Blast)
14) HARDCORE SUPERSTAR – Abrakadabra (Golden Robot Records)
15) AMON AMARTH – The Great Heathen Army (Metal Blade)
16) WITCHERY – Nightside (Century Media)
17) THE HELLACOPTERS – Eyes Of Oblivion (Nuclear Blast)
18) HALESTORM – Back From The Dead (Atlantic Records)
19) CLASSLESS ACT – Welcome To The Show (Better Noise Music)
20) THUNDERMOTHER – Black And Gold (AFM Records)

Top 5 Concerts
W.A.S.P. / ARMORED SAINT – House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
STEEL PANTHER / BLACK STONE CHERRY – History – Toronto, ON
ALICE COOPER – Meridian Hall – Toronto, ON
DIRTY HONEY – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON
ANTHRAX / BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – History – Toronto, ON

Top 5 Brave Embarrassments

FOZZY – Boombox (Mascot Records)
“The Worst Is Yet To Come” should have been track number one! Pathetic paint-by-numbers wrestle-rock, made even worse with an appalling cover of “Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

THUNDEROR – Fire It Up (Boonsdale Records)
Musically, this is average at best ‘80s metal in the vein of Twisted Sister and Saxon. But those high-pitched, screeching vocals – ouch!

UDO DIRKSCHNEIDER – My Way (Atomic Fire Records)
At age 70, the former Accept singer butchers 17 cover songs. The Rolling Stones are destroyed, AC/DC gets pulverized, Judas Priest is put through the wringer… it’s time to retire.

LOTUS – Within Destruction (Ultra Heavy Records)
A messy nu metal / industrial / deathcore hybrid that belongs on the scrap heap.

BELUSHI SPEED BALL – What, Us Worry? (SonaBlast Records)
Kentucky jokers who live to rip off Municipal Waste.

Thoughts On 2022
The highly anticipated Pantera reunion / tribute finally happened with vocalist Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown enlisting guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne / Black Label Society) and drummer Charlie Benante (Anthrax) to replace the deceased Abbott brothers. Rest In Paradise Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. Shows in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil delighted countless fans and proved those songs truly are timeless!

Several unexpected lineup shuffles occurred! After completing The Stadium Tour, Mötley Crüe announced that guitarist Mick Mars, who’s 71 years old, was retiring “due to challenges with his health,” - specifically Ankylosing Spondylitis. While Mars has yet to issue a statement himself, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and Vince Neil quickly revealed the identity of their new guitar player – John 5 (Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie). Skid Row are now on their fifth vocalist! After six years with former Dragonforce singer ZP Theart – which didn’t result in any new music – Rachel Bolan, Dave “Snake” Sabo, and Scotti Hill named 35-year-old Swedish singer Erik Grönwall as their new frontman; Grönwall was still in diapers when Skid Row released their self-titled debut album in 1989. The Quireboys unceremoniously ousted vocalist Spike, leaving the band without any original members. Although, guitarist Guy Griffin, who became the new lead singer, has been a Quireboy since 1989, and did play on the band’s stellar debut album, A Bit Of What You Fancy. Spike has since reunited with Guy Bailey, Chris Johnstone, and Nigel Mogg – aiming for a more authentic Quireboys experience. Also, Great White parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy, replacing him with Andrew Freeman (Last In Line, Lynch Mob).

Two must-read autobiographies were published last year. Up first was Matt Sorum’s Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, and Velvet Revolver. That was followed by John Corabi’s Horseshoes and Hand Grenades: Tales From The Other Mötley Crüe Frontman And Journeys Through A Life In And Out Of Rock And Roll. Both books are brilliant!

Most importantly, massive thanks to each and every one of you who visit BraveWords.com to read our news, reviews, and exclusive interviews.  
 
What / Who Needs To Stop In 2023
YouTube reaction videos. When these clips first started gaining popularity years ago, they were entertaining, amusing, and even informative. Now, there’s an endless armada of armchair experts scrutinizing the new Metallica single, or imploring viewers to believe they’ve never heard “Crazy Train” before, this is their first time listening to “Run To The Hills” – give me a break!
 
Metal Predictions For 2023
KISS will finally retire after playing the final show of their End Of The Road World Tour – date and location have yet to be announced. Metallica will gross enormous amounts of money with their M72 No Repeat Weekend Tour. And their new album, 72 Seasons, due on April 14th, will debut at #1. Other notable albums scheduled for release include titles from: Airbourne, Anthrax, Black Stone Cherry, Buckcherry, Alice Cooper, Fear Factory, Heroes And Monsters, In Flames, L.A. Guns, Memoriam, Prong, Steel Panther, Nita Strauss, Testament, Kirk Windstein, and The Winery Dogs.

Read our BravePicks 2022 countdown where Bloodbath’s Survival Of The Sickest reigned supreme at #1 here.