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Rob Rockitt’s Top 20 Best Hard Rock & Metal CD’s of 2011

  • December 29, 2011
  • by Rob Rockitt
  • · Entertainment · Hard Rock Music · Hard Rock News · Music

Every year putting together a top 10 list becomes harder and harder.  There were so many outstanding releases in 2011, there were far too many to do a top 10 list.  Below are my top 20 Hard Rock & Metal Releases of 2011.  Agree or disagree?  Let us know what you think!

20. The Poodles – Performocracy

Can anyone take a band seriously with the name, The Poodles?  Maybe, not, but the band’s latest album Performocracy
is cram packed with excellent hard & melodic rock tunes that you should take notice of.

19. Five Finger Death Punch – American Capitalist

Five Finger Death Punch may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this heavy metal band has been putting out some of the best
new music from a newer metal band.  Their third effort American Capitalist does not disappoint in the least.

18. Anvil – Juggernaut of Justice

Anvil’s Juggernaut of Justice came as somewhat of a surprise to me.  I never expect to enjoy an Anvil CD so much, and JOJ is easily
one of Anvil’s best releases yet.

17. Chickenfoot – III
Sammy Hagar & company turned in another outstanding CD with their sophomore effort III.  This CD is much better than the band’s debut.

16. Alex Beyrodt’s Voodoo Circle – Broken Heart Syndrome

Sinner/Primal Fear/Voodoo Circle guitarist Alex Beyrodt has released a killer CD with classic influences that include
Whitesnake & Rainbow.  Every hard rock fan needs to give Broken Heart Syndrome a listen.

15. King Kobra – S/T

For King Kobra to come in at position 15 tells you just how good the music is in front of it.  King Kobra’s reunion
effort, with Paul Shortino on vocals, is easily one of the best in King Kobra’s catalog.

14. Emphatic – Damage

I am not a huge modern rock fan, but every year there are some outstanding releases that deserve attention.  Emphatic
simply outdid their Peers (Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil) with their debut effort Damage.

13. Tora Tora – Revolution Day

It seems like every year a long-lost CD that was buried due to record company politics, finally gets a proper release.
Tora Tora’s  third CD Revolution Day was released by FNA Records, and carries on the excellent bluesy hard rock
that Tora Tora is known for.

12. Coldspell – Out From the Cold

Coldspell has already released two outstanding CD’s with Infinite Stargaze & Out From The Cold.  I can’t wait to hear
the next set of tunes from Coldspell.  Out From The Cold should not be missed.

11. Havok – Time is Up

Havok is one of the new bands leading the Retro-Thrash Metal movement.  Time is Up is their second effort and easily their
best.  If you are a thrash metal fan, you need to seek out Time is Up now!

10. Michael Monroe – Sensory Overdrive

I have been a Michael Monroe fan forever but I never expected one of his solo CD’s to be THIS good.  Sensory Overdrive is easily
the best Michael Monroe CD since 1989’s Not Fakin It.

09. Warrant – Rockaholic

Warrant’s Rockaholic is easily my favorite Warrant CD since the band’s 1992 effort, Dog Eat Dog.  The late Jani Lane will always
be missed, but Robert Mason is an outstanding singer, and he may be the best vocalist Warrant has ever had. Rockaholic will
make people take notice of Warrant again.

08. Sixx A.M. – This is Gonna Hurt
With the recent news from the Motley Crue camp as of late, it sounds like a farewell tour may be coming from the band soon.  If this
is truly the case, Nikki Sixx can carry on his band Sixx A.M.  This is Gonna Hurt took a while to grow on me, but it has become a favorite of mine
over the last few months.

07. Black Country Communion – 2

Out of all of the supergroups, Black Country Communion outdid them all with their second effort 2. 60-year-old Glenn Hughes could (and probably
should) give a clinic to young rockers, on how to rock.  He is still getting it done.

06. Anthrax – Worship Music

You would think that Joey Belladonna returning to Antrax would be create a major amount of excitement, and it has.  Belladonna’s vocals are
not the high point of Worship Music.  This is easily Anthrax’s best CD from a musical standpoint, and the best thrash metal CD of 2011.

05. Whitesnake – Forevermore

If Doug Aldrich & Reb Beach keep helping David Coverdale put out CD’s like Good To Be Band and Forevermore, folks may forget about the
band’s monster hits from the 80’s.  Forevermore is another outstanding effort from the Whitesnake camp.

04. Mr. Big – What If…

Mr. Big’s reunion CD What If is the band’s best CD since 1993’s Bump Ahead.  You SHOULD NOT miss What If…!

03. Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Alice Cooper’s reunion with producer Bob Ezrin was a very good one.  Welcome 2 My Nightmare is an outstanding sequel that should not be missed.


02. Vain – Enough Rope

I can not say enough good things about Vain’s latest CD, Enough Rope.If you liked Vain’s debut, No Regrets, you need to seek out the band’s latest
effort Enough Rope.  It is quality all the way through, and easily to my ears one of 2011’s best.


01. Electric Boys – And Them Boys Done Swang

I never would have thought The Electric Boys could have outdone their debut, but with And Them Boys Done Swang, they have done just that.
Sure, some of the lyrics are somewhat cheesy, but the band has every bit of the Funk that was found in their debut.
The Japanese edition has some excellent bonus tracks which pushes this one over the top.

Honorable Mentions:

Rival Sons – Pressure & Time
Black Stone Cherry – Between the Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
Megadeth – Th1rt3en
Badmouth – Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Motorhead – The World is Yours
Riot – Immortal Soul
House of Lords – Big Money
The Answer – Revival
Pop Evil – War of Angels
Beggars & Thieves – We Are The Broken Hearted
George Lynch – Kill All Control
Michael Schenker – Temple of Rock

Want more Top 10 lists?  You can find them at the following websites:

All Metal Resource — http://allmetalresource.com/

Bring Back Glam — http://bringbackglam.squarespace.com/

The Crash Pad of Ray Van Horn, Jr. – http://www.rayvanhornjr2.blogspot.com/

Hair Metal Mansion — http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/

Hard Rock Nights — http://hardrocknights.com

Heavy Metal Addiction — http://heavymetaladdiction.com/

Heavy Metal Time Machine — http://metalmark.blogspot.com/

Imagine Echoes — http://www.imagineechoes.com/

Layla’s Classic Rock — http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/

Metal Excess — http://metalexcess.com/

Metal Odyssey — http://metalodyssey.wordpress.com/

The Ripple Effect — http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/

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Related

Alice Cooper Anthrax Anvil Best Hard Rock & Metal of 2011 Black Country Communion Chickenfoot Coldspell Electric Boys Emphatic Five Finger Death Punch Havok King Kobra Michael Monroe Mr. Big Sixx: A.M. The Poodles Tora Tora VAIN Voodoo Circle warrant Whitesnake
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Comments

  1. Tasha February 11, 2012 · Reply

    wow, i really like the list. i know alot of the artists!

  2. barrydean December 30, 2011 · Reply

    Nice list Rob. Thanks for introducing me to Voodoo Circle (love the Blackmore-esque heavy strat playing and that singer sounds just like Cloverdale), Coldspell (great guitar production), and Black Country Communion (Joe Bonamassa is an awesome player. I have most of his solo albums, but this is classic rock with a tinge of the blues.) Glad to see Tora Tora on a list again. I have been a fan of their music since I first heard “Walkin’ Shoes” way back in the day. Good music. My list would have included Fair To Midland – Arrows & Anchors. Love that progressive hard rock. Happy New Year brudda!!

    • barrydean December 31, 2011 · Reply

      I seriously said Cloverdale? Wow. :-))

  3. bob December 30, 2011 · Reply

    Rob, I’m with ya on the Electric Boys album — simply amazing, especially the japanese edition. Two of my top picks that didn’t make your list are The Andy Timmons Band – Plays Sgt. pepper, and Gentleman’s Pistols – At her Majesty’s Request.

    • Rob Rockitt December 31, 2011 · Reply

      I haven’t heard Gentleman’s Pistols yet Bob, but will definitely check them out now. Andy Timmons easily had the best Instrumental CD of 2011, and should have been included in my honorable mentions.

  4. Ryo Vie December 29, 2011 · Reply

    Wow! Am I surprised! Now I HAVE to give that Electric Boys CD a listen. Number one? It must be awesome!

    Great list and great site. My only disagreement would be SIXX AM. Other than “Lies of the Beautiful People,” I don’t think there is a great song on there. The album was just… meh….

    As always, thanks for cranking out such an amazing site! Happy New Year! Looking forward to another year of excellent Hard Rock with Hard Rock Hideout!!!

  5. lajustice77 December 29, 2011 · Reply

    great list!

    mine would be:
    1. Beggars & Thieves—We Are The Broken Hearted
    2. Warrant–Rockaholic
    3. Alice Cooper–Welcome 2 My Nightmare
    4. Whitesnake–Forevermore
    5. Mr. Big–What If
    6. Michael Monroe–Sensory Overdrive
    7. King Kobra

  6. Frank Furter December 29, 2011 · Reply

    Other than Alice Cooper, not bad picks! BTW, do you use Spotify? It’d be cool if you could make a playlist of these discs so I could easily check it out on Spotify…..

    Thanks for the article!

  7. Metal Odyssey December 29, 2011 · Reply

    A fabulous list Rockitt! I couldn’t disagree with these picks… all worthy! That HAVOK album is great Thrash from top to bottom too. \m/

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