In the “immodest notes” below, we’re serving up a bouquet of albums that dropped last year and, in the opinion of the RockLine crew, left the biggest mark.
2020 delivered a seriously rich harvest of top-notch music, which made choosing that much harder.
| PRIMOŽ NOVAK | METAL 1. Akurion – Come Forth To Me 2. Descend – The Deviant 3. Countless Skies – Glow 4. The Ocean – Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic 5. Intronaut – Fluid Existential Inversions 6. Black Crown Initiate – Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape 7. Katatonia – City Burials (RockLine review) 8. Protest The Hero – Palimpsest 9. Mephistophelian – Anotos (RockLine review) 10. Sepultura – Quadra (RockLine review) 11. Elder – Omens 12. Ulcerate – Stare Into Death And Be Still 13. Oranssi Pazuzu – Mestarin kynsi 14. Cryptodira – The Angel of History 15. Trivium – What The Dead Men Say (RockLine review) 16. Dark Tranquillity – Moment 17. Ebonivory – The Long Dream I 18. Panzerballett – Planet Z (RockLine review) 19. Heaven Shall Burn – Of Truth And Sacrifice (RockLine review) 20. Dark Fortress – Spectres From the Old World PROGRESSIVE ROCK / JAZZ FUSION /BLUES / ROCK 1. Gavin Harrison & Antoine Fafard – Chemical Reactions (RockLine review) 2. Wobbler – Dwellers of the Deep (RockLine review) 3. Joe Bonamassa – Royal Tea 4. Lunatic Soul – Through Shaded Woods (RockLine review) 5. Long Distance Calling – How Do We Want To Live? (RockLine review) 6. Gösta Berling’s Saga – Konkret Musik (RockLine review) 7. Pat Metheny – From This Place (RockLine review) 8. Arabs in Aspic – Madness And Magic 9. Ozric Tentacles – Space For The Earth (RockLine review) 10. The Pineapple Thief – Versions of Truth (RockLine review) 11. Crippled Black Phoenix – Ellengæst 12. pg.lost – Oscilate 13. King King – Maverick 14. AC/DC – Power Up (RockLine review) 15. Deep Purple – Whoosh! (RockLine review) Honorable mentions: Deeds of Flesh – Nucleus Paradise Lost – Obsidian (RockLine review) Lamb of God – Lamb of God Testament – Titans of Creation (RockLine review) Draconian – Under a Godless Veil Napalm Death – Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism Within Destruction – Yōkai Beneath the Massacre – Fearmonger Carcass – Despicable (EP) Soilwork – The Feverish Trinity (EP) Sylosis – Cycle of Suffering Within The Ruins – Black Heart Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man (RockLine review) Pallbearer – Forgotten Days Demons & Wizards – III (RockLine review) August Burns Red – Guardians |
| PETER PODBREŽNIK | 1. Jakko M. Jakszyk – Secrets & Lies (RockLine review) 2. Wobbler – Dwellers of the Deep 3. NDV (Nick D’Virgilio) – Invisible (RockLine review) 4. Pendragon – Love Over Fear (RockLine review) 5. Deep Purple – Whoosh! 6. Rick Wakeman – The Red Planet (RockLine review) 7. Kansas – The Absence of Presence (RockLine review) 8. Pattern-Seeking Animals – Prehensile Tales (RockLine review) 9. Pat Metheny – From This Place 10. Fish – Weltschmerz (RockLine review) 11. Lonely Robot – Feelings Are Good (RockLine review) 12. Fates Warning – Long Day Good Night (RockLine review) 13. Panzerballett – Planet Z 14. Karfagen – Birds of Passage 15. The Flower Kings – Islands 16. Kyros – Celexa Dreams (RockLine review) 17. Nektar – The Other Side (RockLine review) 18. Haken – Virus (RockLine review) 19. Caligula’s Horse – Rise Radiant (RockLine review) 20. Blue Öyster Cult – The Symbol Remains (RockLine review) |
| ROK KLEMŠE | 1. Anaal Nathrakh – Endarkenment 2. Lik – Misanthropic Breed 3. Carnation – Where Death Lies 4. Necrophobic – Dawn of the Damned 5. Carcass – Despicable (EP) 6. Body Count – Carnivore 7. Sweven – The Eternal Resonance 8. My Dying Bride – The Ghost of Orion 9. Heathen – Empire of the Blind (RockLine review) 10. Spirit Adrift – Enlightened in Eternity Honorable mentions: Them – Return to Hemmersmoor Pallbearer – Forgotten Days Paradise Lost – Obsidian God Dethroned – Illuminati Warbringer – Weapons of Tomorrow Green Carnation – Leaves of Yesteryear Winterfylleth – The Reckoning Dawn Unleash the Archers – Abyss Testament – Titans of Creation |
| NINA GRAD | 1. Anaal Nathrakh – Endarkenment 2. Carcass – Despicable (EP) 3. Paradise Lost – Obsidian 4. God Dethroned – Illuminati 5. Carnation – Where Death Lies 6. Necrophobic – Dawn of th Damned 7. Black Dahlia Murder – Verminous 8. Lik – Misanthropic Breed 9. Sepultura – Quadra 10. Marilyn Manson – We Are Chaos |
| NATAŠA FAJON | 1. Fates Warning – Long Day Good Night 2. Vanden Plas – The Ghost Xperiment – Illumination (RockLine review) 3. Ayreon – Transitus (RockLine review) 4. Primal Fear – Metal Commando (RockLine review) 5. Iron Maiden – Nights of the Dead, Legacy of the Beast, Live in Mexico City (RockLine review) 6. Iron Savior – Skycrest (RockLine review) 7. U.D.O. & Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr – We Are One (RockLine review) 8. Lords of Black – Alchemy of Souls, pt. 1 (RockLine review) 9. Demons & Wizards – III 10. Raven – Metal City (RockLine review) |
| SEBASTIJAN VIDEC | 1. Paradise Lost – Obsidian 2. Unleash the Archers – Abyss (RockLine review) 3. Nightwish – Human. :||: Nature. (RockLine review) 4. Dark Tranquility – Moment 5. Avatar – Hunter Gatherer 6. John Petrucci – Terminal Velocity (RockLine review) 7. AC/DC – PWR/UP 8. Marko Hietala – Pyre of the Black Heart (RockLine review) 9. Apocalyptica – Cell-0 10. Myrkur – Folkesange |
| DENIS PARADIŽ | 1. Crystal Lake – The Voyages 2. Bury Tomorrow – Cannibal 3. Saltatio Moris – Für immer frei 4. We Blame The Empire – Aero (RockLine review) 5. Future Foundation – Dawn 6. Eskimo Callboy – MMXX 7. Crossfaith – Species 8. Warkings – Revenge (RockLine review) 9. Coldrain – Live & Backstage at Blare Fest. 2020 10. SIM – Thank God, There are Hundreds of Ways to Kill Enemies Honorable mentions: Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas – Shape of Trust Make My Day – Mind Haven Survive Said The Prophet – Inside Your Head Man With A Mission – Change the World Parkway Drive – Viva the Underdogs Turbobier – Live in Wien |
| JERNEJ VENE | The following lists are in alphabetical order: HARD ROCK / AOR AC/DC – Power Up Alcatrazz – Born Innocent (RockLine review) Biffy Clyro – A Celebration Of Endings Champlin Williams Friestedt – II Deep Purple – Whoosh! Dennis De Young – 26 East Volume 1 (RockLine review) FM – Synchronized (RockLine review) Gotthard – #13 (RockLine review) H.E.A.T – H.E.A.T II Jeff Scott Soto – Wide Awake In My Dreamland (RockLine review) Revolution Saints – Rise (RockLine review) Rob Moratti – Paragon (RockLine review) PROGRESSIVE ROCK Derek Sherinian – Phoenix (RockLine review) Dukes Of The Orient – Freakshow (RockLine review) Fish – Weltschmerz Jakko M Jakszyk – Secrets & Lies Lonely Robot – Feelings Are Good McStine & Minnemann – II Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets – Live At The Roundhouse Pendragon – Love Over Fear Rick Wakeman – The Red Planet Sons Of Apollo – MMXX (RockLine review) The Pineapple Thief – Versions Of The Truth GUITAR ALBUMS Joe Bonamassa – Royal Tea Joe Satriani – Shapeshifting (RockLine review) John Petrucci – Terminal Velocity Kiko Loureiro – Open Source (RockLine review) Larkin Poe – Self Made Man Milan Polak – Can’t Please Everyone Reb Beach – A View From The Inside (RockLine review) HEAVY METAL Black Swan – Shake The World (RockLine review) Blue Öyster Cult – The Symbol Remains Dirty Shirley – Dirty Shirley (RockLine review) Haken – Virus Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man Testament – Titans Of Creation SLOVENIA Andraž Hribar – Čas je Bogunov – More bijesa (RockLine review) Boštjan Leben – Atisarga Čao Portorož – Pop Divje jezero – Korak iz okvirjev (RockLine review) El Kachon – Mi nismo (RockLine review) Emil and the Detectives – Sandcastles (RockLine review) Fed Horses – Spremembe Grega Habič band – Vrane (RockLine review) Grizl – Pod pritiskom (RockLine review) Klon – 1 (RockLine review) Metropolis – Metropolis New Creatives Inc. – The Noise of Time Philammon – The Call Pijamiies – Pijamiies Potnik – Prv1 Prismojeni profesorji bluesa – Prismojeni? San Di Ego – Zdaj je čas Tadej Tomšič Institution – Orion saksofon Teo Collori in Momento cigano – Molto aligatore |
| ALEŠ PODBREŽNIK | HEAVY METAL / THRASH METAL / POWER METAL 1. Cloven Hoof – Age of Steel (RockLine review) 2. Iron Savior – Skycrest 3. Lords of Black – Alchemy of Souls pt. I 4. Heathen – Empire of the Blind 5. Stryper – Even The Devil Believes (RockLine review) 6. Demons And Wizards – III 7. Ross the Boss – Born of Fire (RockLine review) 8. Almanac – Rush of Death (RockLine review) 9. Pyramaze – Epitaph (RockLine review) 10. Magnus Karlsson’s Free Fall – We Are The Night (RockLine review) Honorable mentions: Firewind – Firewind (RockLine review) U.D.O. & Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr – We Are One Sepultura – Quadra Paradise Lost – Obsidian Vicious Rumors – Celebration Decay (RockLine review) Falconer – From A Dying Amber (RockLine review) Elixir – Voyage of the Eagle (RockLine review) Testament – Titans of Creation Toyko Blade – Dark Revolution (RockLine review) Raven – Metal City Armored Saint – Punching the Sky (RockLine review) HARD ROCK / HEAVY ROCK / BLUES 1. Deep Purple – Whoosh! 2. Walter Trout – Ordinary Madness (RockLine review) 3. Wishbone Ash – Coat of Arms (RockLine review) 4. Black Swan – Shake the World 5. AC/DC – Power Up 6. Alcatrazz – Born Innocent 7. Vandenberg – 2020 (RockLine review) 8. Bonfire – Fistful of Fire (RockLine review) 9. Gotthard – #13 10. Axel Rudi Pell – Sign of the Times (RockLine review) Honorable mentions: Blue Öyster Cult – The Symbol Remains Revolution Saints – Rise Joe Bonamassa – Royal Tea MELODIC ROCK / AOR 1. Rob Moratti – Paragon 2. FM – Synchronized 3. Palace – Rock And Roll Radio (RockLine review) 4. Pride of Lions – Lion Heart (RockLine review) 5. Dennis DeYoung – 26 East: Volume 1 6. Todd Sucherman – Last Flight Home (RockLine review) 7. The Night Flight Orchestra – Aeromantic (RockLine review) 8. Newman – Ignition (RockLine review) 9. Wildness – Ultimate Demise (RockLine review) 10. Perfect Plan – Time For A Miracle (RockLine review) Honorable mentions: H.E.A.T. – H.E.A.T II Harem Scarem – Change the World (RockLine review) Stan Bush – Dare to Dream (RockLine review) Tony Mitchell – Church of Restless Soul (RockLine review) Lionville – Magic is Alive (RockLine review) PROGRESSIVE METAL 1. Panzerballett – Planet Z 2. Haken – Virus 3. Fates Warning – Long Day Good Night 4. Psychotic Waltz – The God-Shaped Void (RockLine review) 5. Vanden Plas – The Ghost Xperiment – Illumination 6. Pain of Salvation – Panther (RockLine review) 7. Ian Parry – In Flagrante Delicto (RockLine review) 8. John Petrucci – Terminal Velocity 9. Protest The Hero – Palimpset 10. DGM – Tragic Separation (RockLine review) 11. Oceans of Slumber – Oceans of Slumber (RockLine review) 12. Kiko Loureiro – Open Source 13. Katatonia – City Burials 14. Sons of Apollo – MMXX 15. Teramaze – I Wonder (RockLine review) PROGRESSIVE ROCK / ART ROCK 1. Jakko M Jakszyk – Secret & Lies 2. Gavin Harrison & Antoine Fafard – Chemical Reactions 3. Magenta – Masters of Illusion (RockLine review) 4. Kyros – Celexa Dreams 5. Kansas – The Absence of Presence 6. IO Earth – Aura (RockLine review) 7. Kepler Ten – A New Kind of Sideways (RockLine review) 8. Wobbler – Dwellers of the Deep 9. Marco Hietala – Pyre of the Black Heart 10. NDV (Nick D’Virgilio) – Invisible 11. Gösta Berling’s Saga – Konkret Musik 12. Fish – Weltschmerz 13. Rick Wakeman – The Red Planet 14. Pendragon – Love Over Fear 15. Gazpacho – Fireworker (RockLine review) 16. Maciej Meller – Zenith (RockLine review) 17. Michael Abdow – Heart Signal (RockLine review) 18. Mark Kelly’s Marathon – Marathon 19. The Pineapple Thief – Versions of the Truth 20. Arabs In Aspic – Madness And Magic Honorable mentions: Pattern Seeking Animals – Prehensile Tales Derek Sherinian – Phoenix Reb Beach – A View From the Inside Long Distance Calling – How do We Want To Live? Simon Collins – Becoming Human (RockLine review) Lunatic Soul – Through the Shaded Woods Lonely Robot – Feelings Are Good Ozric Tentacles – Space for the Earth Rikard Sjöblom’s Gungfly – Alone Together (RockLine review) The Flower Kings – Islands Haze – Back to the Bones Joe Satriani – Shapeshifting SLOVENIA 1. Divje jezero – Korak iz okvirjev 2. Feedback – Predvidljivi in iztrošeni fusion vzorci (RockLine review) 3. El Kachon – Mi nismo 4. Emil and the Detectives – Sandcastles 5. GHB (Grega Habič band) – Vrane 6. Samo Šalamon Trio (feat. Igor Matkovič & Kristijan Krajnčan) – Rare Ebb (RockLine review) 7. Bogunov – More bijesa 8. Boštjan Gartner – Čas brez iluzij (RockLine review) 9. AKA Neomi – Beautiful Disasters (RockLine review) 10. Brest feat. Vesna Zornik – V polsnu (RockLine review) |
You can check out last year’s RockLine pick of the best albums HERE!
A similar RockLine piece picking the best albums released in 2018 is waiting for you HERE.
