Metal Odyssey – Stone Picks His Top 10 Hard Rock Albums Of 2012!
Metal Odyssey – Stone Picks His Top 10 Hard Rock Albums Of 2012!
After I banged my METAL brains to a pulp in compiling a Top 30 Metal Albums Of 2012 list, I decided to keep the Hard Rock side of the street to a cool and tidy Top 10 Of 2012. Okay, there’s really 11 Top Hard Rock Albums Of 2012; cause there’s a tie. Couldn’t help it. My favorite METAL troll who lives deep in the Pennsylvania woods told me a couple of days ago: “No one ever said it would be easy, Stone”.
Below you will find the 10 Hard Rock Albums (all released in 2012) that I turned to most often to get psyched-out of my Hard Rockin’ mind. I truly thought this list over long and hard, while making certain the overall quality of the albums stand tall on their own respective musical merits.
In my heart, KISS will always be #1; only SLASH Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators found their way to my Rockin’ soul in 2012. That counts big time. The ultra-fabulous return of Van Halen, Trixter and Soundgarden are just 3 stories among many Hard Rock comebacks during 2012. What sensational comeback albums these 3 bands created and they’re included in my Top 10! Spider Rockets appear in my Top Ten for good reason; their Hard Rockin’ bite is infectious!
Switzerland’s The Order and N. Ireland’s Million Dollar Reload are 2 bands that released unbelievable albums this past year! Both of these bands took me by incredible Hard Rockin’ surprise! The word elite comes to my mind, whenever I listen to the new albums from Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Country Communion. As for Georgia’s very own Jackyl… their new album Best Of Show is a combination of Hard Rockin’ fun and whoop-ass that I am so very thankful for.
Thank you for supporting Hard Rock and any/all bands seen or heard on Metal Odyssey this past year. I greatly appreciate your every visit and loyalty. I also want to thank each band listed below for existing. Metal be thy name.
* You’ll find a link for my album review (or feature) below each respective title.
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#10
THE ORDER – 1986
BUY this new album from THE ORDER and your ears will be thanking you forever.
#9
MILLION DOLLAR RELOAD – A SINNER’S SAINT
This album is like a stick of Hard Rockin’ dynamite!
Below is my album review I wrote for the (very cool) Hard Rock Nights:
MILLION DOLLAR RELOAD – A SINNER’S SAINT = CLASSIC HARD ROCKIN’ INTOXICATION!
#8
VAN HALEN – A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH
Without VAN HALEN, where would Hard Rock be today? I shudder at the thought.
VAN HALEN ‘A Different Kind Of Truth’ – The Truth Is… This Album ROCKS!
#7 (Tie)
TRIXTER – NEW AUDIO MACHINE
Yes, TRIXTER came back with all their Hard Rockin’ cylinders blazing! Whoa!
TRIXTER “New Audio Machine” – 100% ROCKS! TRIXTER IS BACK!
#7 (Tie)
SPIDER ROCKETS – BITTEN
New Jersey ROCKS and SPIDER ROCKETS are a HUGE reason why The Garden State is its own Rocktopia. I absolutely LOVE the approach that SPIDER ROCKETS has towards Hard Rock and there’s really no other band like them out there. BUY this whiz-bang album and you’ll be BITTEN by the sensation of Hard Rockin’ sound that is SPIDER ROCKETS. I got bitten. Yup, I did.
#6
KISS – MONSTER
A KISS album that has tapped into Classic Hard Rock, like this iconic band’s life depended on it. A KISS album that is not resting on any laurels. A KISS album that I’m proud to own and recommend to the world! If MONSTER is too loud and too much fun, then… you’re probably too damn constipated and uptight to begin with.
KISS “MONSTER” (Some Fun & Rockin’ Thoughts From Stone, Part 1) – My Favorite Song Revealed!
#5
JACKYL – BEST IN SHOW
Warning: This album is (gulp) FUN. PUH POW!
JACKYL “Best In Show” – FUN Has Returned To Hard Rock Once Again, Courtesy Of JACKYL!
#4
SOUNDGARDEN – KING ANIMAL
More than just a “new” or “comeback” Soundgarden album. This is an accomplishment from Soundgarden, with lyrical brilliance and songs that are executed with unique and memorable musicianship and vocals. I can easily place King Animal atop the back catalog of Soundgarden albums and preach to the world that this band has returned in (what feels like to me) mystical fashion.
SOUNDGARDEN – Creation Of “King Animal” Mural At Easy Street Records (Time Lapse Video)
#3
LYNYRD SKYNYRD – LAST OF A DYIN’ BREED
An inspirational album both lyrically and musically. By the way, LYNYRD SKYNYRD is still kicking Southern Hard Rockin’ ass in 2012! Each LYNYRD SKYNYRD lineup is legendary, Last Of A Dyin’ Breed is proof once again.
LYNYRD SKYNYRD – ‘Last Of A Dyin’ Breed’ Got Me Through The Week
#2
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION – AFTERGLOW
AFTERGLOW is easily one of the best Hard Rock albums I’ve heard in many years. As a supergroup, Black Country Communion doesn’t portray a single ego in their music. All I hear is greatness.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION “AFTERGLOW” – Majestic, Classic Hard Rock Still Exists… And It’s Right Here
#1
SLASH – Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators
APOCALYPTIC LOVE
As I see and hear it, once an album can move you, lifting your Rockin’ soul to new heights as Apocalyptic Love has done for me, then it’s a #1 album for certain. The combination of SLASH’s guitar and Myles Kennedy’s vocals were destined to unite. It had to be! At least that’s how I feel and hear it.
The chemistry of this entire band just seems to be right on the bullseye, overflowing from every song on this exceptional album. Maybe it’s just me. Regardless, I couldn’t be more confident and psyched-out by my choice of Apocalyptic Love being my #1 Hard Rock album of 2012. Metal be thy name!
SLASH Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators “Apocalyptic Love” – #1 For My Rock ‘N Roll Soul
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* Wanna read about my Top 30 METAL Albums Of 2012? Just click on that cool link below! Whoa!
Metal Odyssey – Stone Picks His Top 30 METAL Albums Of 2012!
LONG LIVE HARD ROCK.
“whiz-bang” was used once in this feature post.
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
December 27, 2012 at 12:12 am
This is a great list Stone, and sadly many I do not have nor have even heard! Im hitting my local record store and stocking up on your recommendations! \m/
December 27, 2012 at 12:20 am
Thank you for the Rockin’ compliment… it makes it all worth the while!!
Have a grand Holiday week and hope your 2013 is your best year yet! Whoa! \m/
December 27, 2012 at 3:22 am
It’s no secret how much I love BCC….but as we took the RV up the Spanish coast to visit family this Christmas – the albums on my stereo were Monster, La Futura, and Music from another Dimension. Some serious hard rock got released in 2012 – and I’ve also been playing the Trixter album and VH to death. let’s hope 2013 is another hardrockin’ year! Happy New Year to you, man! \m/\m/
December 27, 2012 at 10:20 am
You said it Kev! 2012 was a serious year for Hard Rock… and “Classic” bands seemed to dominate! 🙂
I had Aerosmith in my top 10 so many times! I wish I could have alternate Top 10 lists… like the way some movies have alternate endings! LOL!
I was listening to “La Futura” the last night I solidified this list. Doesn’t half the album sound like 70’s ZZ Top and the other half post-70’s? Tremendous album.
Enjoy your Christmas holiday with family Kev and Thank you for being such a fabulous part of Metal Odyssey these past years! \m/\m/