BravePicks 2022 - The Scribes Speak!
Nick Balazs

Top 20 Of 2022
1) WOLF – Shadowland (Century Media)
2) TRIAL (SWE) – Feed The Fire (Metal Blade)
3) RECKLESS LOVE – Turbo Rider (AFM)
4) THE SPIRIT – Of Clarity And Galactic Structures (AOP)
5) SLÆGT – Goddess (Century Media)
6) WATAIN – The Agony & Ecstasy Of Watain (Nuclear Blast)
7) EVIL INVADERS – Shattering Reflection (Napalm)
8) STRATOVARIUS – Survive (earMUSIC)
9) H.E.A.T. – Force Majeure (earMUSIC)
10) TONY MARTIN – Thorns (Dark Star)
11) SATAN – Earth Infernal (Metal Blade)
12) DYNAZTY – Final Advent (AFM)
13) SCORPIONS – Rock Believer (Vertigo)
14) SIGH – Shiki (Peaceville)
15) HAMMERFALL – Hammer Of Dawn (Napalm)
16) MEGADETH – The Sick, The Dying…The Dead (Universal Music Group)
17) SPELL – Tragic Magic (Bad Omen)
18) STATIC ABYSS – Labyrinth Of Veins (Peaceville)
19) TOXIK – Dis Morta (Massacre)
20) UNLUCKY MORPHEUS – Evolution (Independent)

Top Concerts
1) W.A.S.P. / Armored Saint – Agora Theatre – Cleveland, OH
2) SCORPIONS / SKID ROW – Planet Hollywood – Las Vegas, NV
3) SABATON / EPICA – The Andrew J Brady Music Center – Cincinnati, OH

Top 5 Brave Embarrassments

THUNDEROR – Fire It Up (Boonsdale)
Man, this one was rough. Featuring former and present Skull Fist members this ‘80s influenced metal/hard rock album is bogged down by one note vocals and sloppy songwriting. These guys can do a lot better.

SABATON – The War To End All Wars (Nuclear Blast)
Yes, they were one of the best shows I saw in 2022 – Sabaton always puts on a great concert – but their latest effort was such a letdown with uninspired, boring songwriting aside from “The Christmas Truce” and “Dreadnought”.

AMORPHIS – Halo (Atomic Fire)
There’s nothing really “wrong” with the newest Amorphis. They’ve consistently been producing high quality melodic metal, but this just didn’t grab me. The melodies just didn’t hit quite as hard and the more progressive tinged tracks failed to leave a lasting impression.

CANDLEMASS – Sweet Evil Sun (Napalm)
If there’s an album that defines “by-the-numbers” – it would be Candlemass’ newest offering. Sweet Evil Sun is full of musical clichés and not sure about Johan Längquist as a singer anymore. Much respect to him, but he doesn’t have the power behind his voice like he used to. “Angel Battle” and “Devil Voodoo” rule though, but as it stands, this is a bottom tier CMass album.

SEVENTH STORM – Maledictus (Atomic Fire)
Another album of weirdness, I was looking forward to the debut from the new band from former Moonspell drummer Mike Gaspar. Maledictus is unfortunately bloated and needs trimming plus the nu-metal type vocals are off-putting. There’s much potential though so I would give them another chance on a follow-up release.

Thoughts On 2022
Nice to see the world dusting itself off and returning to a semblance of normalcy and see enticing bills and returns like W.A.S.P. to North America for its 40th anniversary tour and King Diamond bringing back Mercyful Fate for a North American run as well.

Wolf's Shadowland is picture-perfect heavy metal. Diverse, energetic, and memorable - just how trad metal is supposed to be. Trial (Swe) also dazzled with precise metal and really strong chorus work supplemented with an array of riffage and melodic soloing.

Musically, a strange year, most were wondering how the new Megadeth would turn out after all the turbulence surrounding the band in recent years and while I thought it was a strong release, it seems others are “meh” on it. Older thrash acts impressed though like Toxik’s Dis Morta and the new Xentrix is excellent too. Hammerfall's latest opus doesn't seem to be earning a lot of recognition either, but I really enjoyed it and thought the songs were much stronger than found on Dominion.

Heartwarming to see K.K. Downing to play with his old mates in Judas Priest at the Rock Hall inductions too. Weird to see the sudden Pantera reformation and while I understand the estates of Vinnie and Dime are backing it up and fans are enjoying it; it just doesn’t sit right with me - but hey, if people want to see it, more power to them. It is disheartening though that newer, more exciting acts are not receiving attention.

What/Who Needs To Stop In 2023
I’d like to see some of these older acts stop trying to fill in each of their newer offerings with as much music as possible. Less is more and bloating an album up towards an hour when it’s unneeded derails the momentum of a listening experience. Quality over quantity!

Metal Predictions For 2023
Whether anyone likes it or not – Metallica is going to rule the year with 72 Seasons. They are one of the biggest bands in the world and they are going to receive all the attention. I’m sure they won’t listen to my what/who needs to stop because it’ll probably be another unnecessarily long album, but I’m holding out hope for a strong release.

For a prediction – King Diamond will finally release his new album and we’ll have the Hell Meets Heaven Tour with King Diamond and Stryper. How’s that for a bill?

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

More Scribes Speak 2022:

Aaron Small
Greg Pratt
Mark Gromen
Carl Begai