This can be everything, songs, albums, concerts...

Listened to Let It Roll/ Hypergeek/ Triumph today on the train, and I have to say it again: those three songs combined into one musical and emotional journey beyond words just HAS to be on my list. Synchestra as a whole is definitely one of my musical highlights this year, but maybe those first 12 or 13 minutes of the album impressed me the most. Ha, I remember waiting for the mail on the day of its official release and how I went completely nuts when it arrived... Goood day

Vicarious as the opener of Tool's 10.000 Days surely rocked my hairy anus. Five years after Lateralus this "new song" (which was the first one I heard from this album) sounded so fresh and powerful... It also goes on my list, no doubt. Just thinking of Tool... Walking through the city on a cold and clear morning with my discman and listening to the "...such a heavy burden" part from Rosetta Stoned really had something magical...

...Did I say discman? Oh yeah, I finally bought an MP3-player some months ago. This also has to be mentioned in this thread.

Although I think that At The Soundless Dawn was released last year, I discovered Red Sparowes about half a year ago, and after a few listens the album's opener Alone And Unaware, The Landscape Was Transformed In Front Of Our Eyes (catchy title, I know!) totally blew me away. Such a beautiful song.

Hm... The Tenacious D movie won't be shown here before February 2007, so I can't include it. Damn!

Anyway, there are certainly many more of such moments but I can't remember them right now. Your turn.

This year sucked as far as concerts went.. for me, anyway.

I'll just list off bands that released albums I liked... because there are no better moments than when you listen to a new album for the first time by an artist you love.

Agalloch
Beck
Bob Dylan
Daedelus
Deftones
Devin Townsend Band
DJ Shadow
Estradasphere
Foetus
Genghis Tron
Isis
Jesu
Joanna Newsom
Katatonia
Mastodon
Ministry
Muse
Outkast
Pearl Jam
Peeping Tom
The Arti... Er, I mean Prince
Scott Walker
SYL
The Roots
Tom Waits


I didnt hear any of the stuff Zorn put out this year but im sure i would have liked it too. I'm sure there's a few others I need to hear as well.

EDIT: ooooo new cute little mp3 player.

i was dissapointed by alot of bands mainly except for all devs work ofcourse. his art is always great and no filler

Songs that really blew me away from new releases this year:

Mars Volta - Tetragrammaton,
Tool - Vicarious, 10,000 Days.
Converge - No Heroes, Plagues, Grim Heart/Black Rose, Trophy Scars
Devy - Pixillate, Polyphony
Behold the Arctopus - the live songs on their compilation thingy.
Mastodon - Crystal Skull (if only for how badly Scott Kelly upstages their singers)
Arsis - Lust Before the Maggots Conquest (bastards had to release that song first and shoot my expectations for the album through the roof)
Hammers of Misfortune - The Locust Years (hearing this song on their website made the 2 weeks I waited for the album painful)
Glass Casket - Too Scared To Die (I went into this album expecting spastic technical metalcore, so this song confused me because its practically black/death metal)

Mars Volta - Tetragrammaton

seconded

For me it would have to be

Dev's work and awesome albums (Synchestra, TNB and Hummer)

Agallochs latest album (of which I have the sexy limited edition wooden box)

Agalloch concert (where I got to meet the guys, they signed my box and I got to know the guys from Thurisaz, too, played some foosball with them and drank beer. fantastic gig)

concert of Czech folk legend Jaromir Nohavica, as well as my mail correspondence with him, as well as a brief meet up with him

a party on the occasion of the birth of Dev's son, where I met up with all my friends who I've taught to listen to Devy and we made photos posing with his albums. they can be seen in the scrapbook photo album

This has been the year of metal for me, a lot of great releases.

Moment of the year...having SYL come to my home town twice in 367 days

Discovering Dredg was a good one for me..I'm 99% certain that was this year rather than the end of last year....

Me and my bf starting our new musical project which although taking a while, I'm very proud of so far for the first time ever

Jesu - Silver
Studio recording of Far Beyond Metal
Rosetta Stoned and 10,000 Days
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Iron Maiden - The Longest Day
Sunset and Notes From Africa
Seeing Metallica perform all of Master of Puppets live
GWAR - Back in Crack

[JuZ]

Discovered a couple of gems this year.

Like Fragility I was a latecomer to Dredg but better to come late than not at all.

Joan As Policewoman - What a delight she is. Speaks like she's taken 20 valiums (maybe she has, I don't know!) but she makes divinely listenable music. I've listened to Eternal Flame about a million times. Just wish she'd shave her pits. *cough* No, really, she's a magnificent artist.

Synchestra - Was that really this year? Damn! A superb album from a guy that makes music that speaks to me more than any other's. Pixellate is the current standout for me, but, as with all things Dev, this'll change next time I listen to the album.

A surprise: After struggling to get into their earlier stuff, I found myself really digging Mastodon's Blood Mountain. For what it's worth, I think Sleeping Giant's the best track on the album.

Also discovered Gojira. In particular 2005's From Mars To Sirius. Heavy. Good.

Revisited many old musical friends this year: Deep Purple, AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, Devo.

BRING ON '07!

Best Albums This Year For Me:

1. Dev-Synchestra
2. Shaolin Death Squad-Intelligent Design
3. Mastodon-Blood Mountain
4. Dev- The Hummer
5. Tool-10,000 Days

I Can't Put The New Black Up There. I Wanted To, But Being Honest It Really Was An Average Record.

Also discovered Gojira. In particular 2005's From Mars To Sirius. Heavy. Good.

Great band. I have a dilemma... They're here next year, but they're here with 3 other bands... Um... Trivium, Machine Head and someone else who I don't like. All 3 bands are much more established so I'd basically be looking at a 20 minute Gojira set. I dont know if its worth going or not.

Ever since 2003, metal has been on an upsurge again. I love it. Unfortunately, we're probably going to sink back into a lull again for a couple years. Some of the albums that came out this year that rocked my boat, in no linear order, despite the integers:

1. Devin - Synchestra: tracks 1 - 3 really floored me
2. Devin - The Hummer: again, this album will do things to your subconscious that is beyond words, if you let it
3. Tool - 10,000 Days: This was probably the album that has grown the most on me out of all the albums I've ever bought. My initial reaction was basically a shrug of the shoulders and a scratch on the head. But after repeated listens, the "Wings duo" is now probably my favorite Tool song - yes, I consider them one song, even though it's split into two. I don't understand the filler song after The Pot - it seems basically worthless to me - but the rest of the album has really piqued my interest. The build-up to the climax in Rosetta Stoned is so perfectly executed and then Maynard really displays just how powerful his voice can be. I still get chills running across my flesh when those vocals hit: "Overwhelmed as one would be placed in my position; SUCH a heavy burden now to be the one...." Damn I love that. Also, their new live setup for the Wings duo is ridiculous. I won't say why except for "lasers". Just go and see them to see what I mean.
4. Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress: what Soilwork SHOULD'VE sounded like after Chainheart. "Calculate The Apocalypse" is just insane and the outro solo on "Deviate From The Form" is probably in my top 5 album endings ever.
5. Mindy Smith - Long Island Shores: I absolutely love Mindy's voice - it's just so pure - and she knows how to write some damn good hooks. "You Just Forgot" has some incredibly heartfelt vocals.
6. Giant Squid - Metridium Fields: I went into this album with some trepidation as the only thing I knew was that they are somewhat similar to Mastodon. The first thing that stuck out was the production: they really need to find a better studio for the next album. Musically, they are quite interesting, opting for melancholy over heaviness, although when they do get heavy, it's quite weighty. I don't really care for the male vocals (they sound FAR too much like Serj from Syndrome of a Down, which is never a good thing) but wife Ariel's counterpart vocals are quite haunting. "Versus The Siren" is by far the album's best track, followed by the heaviest track on the album, "Neonate", which is probably where most of the Mastodon comparisons come from. I will say their use of a myriad of instruments is quite inventive.
7. Mastodon - Blood Mountain: "Sleeping Giant" is far and away the best song on the album. The production is noticeably better, but the change from A to C tuning (save for one song) just didn't sit well with me. It's almost their trademark now and for that massive deep-end to be missing seemed to neuter their heaviness a bit. Still, they are head-and-shoulders above most other new bands in terms of originality and personality.
8. Type O Negative - Symphony For The Devil (DVD): They are still my favorite band, and for good reason. The commentary is particularly hilarious as well as the interview with Juliya. Best quote:

Juliya: "As a final question for you guys, what would be the most interesting way for you to die?"
Peter Steele (vocals, bass): "....it wouldn't really matter so long as I felt I made a difference in the world."
Kenny Hickey (guitar, vocals): "....you did. You made it worse."

[JuZ]

Also discovered Gojira. In particular 2005's From Mars To Sirius. Heavy. Good.

Great band. I have a dilemma... They're here next year, but they're here with 3 other bands... Um... Trivium, Machine Head and someone else who I don't like. All 3 bands are much more established so I'd basically be looking at a 20 minute Gojira set. I dont know if its worth going or not.

Damn. That's tough. I have no interest in Trivium or Machine Head but I'd probably go as I've never seen Gojira live before and Monga says they're amazing. 20 mins or so is a short set to pay good money for though, so not sure I've helped at all!

You could post them your "waste matter" until they agree to tour solo, but that's disgustingly unacceptable behaviour. *nudge nudge* *wink wink*

[JuZ]

4. Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress: what Soilwork SHOULD'VE sounded like after Chainheart. "Calculate The Apocalypse" is just insane and the outro solo on "Deviate From The Form" is probably in my top 5 album endings ever.
5. Mindy Smith - Long Island Shores: I absolutely love Mindy's voice - it's just so pure - and she knows how to write some damn good hooks. "You Just Forgot" has some incredibly heartfelt vocals.
6. Giant Squid - Metridium Fields: I went into this album with some trepidation as the only thing I knew was that they are somewhat similar to Mastodon. The first thing that stuck out was the production: they really need to find a better studio for the next album. Musically, they are quite interesting, opting for melancholy over heaviness, although when they do get heavy, it's quite weighty. I don't really care for the male vocals (they sound FAR too much like Serj from Syndrome of a Down, which is never a good thing) but wife Ariel's counterpart vocals are quite haunting. "Versus The Siren" is by far the album's best track, followed by the heaviest track on the album, "Neonate", which is probably where most of the Mastodon comparisons come from. I will say their use of a myriad of instruments is quite inventive.
7. Mastodon - Blood Mountain: "Sleeping Giant" is far and away the best song on the album. The production is noticeably better, but the change from A to C tuning (save for one song) just didn't sit well with me. It's almost their trademark now and for that massive deep-end to be missing seemed to neuter their heaviness a bit. Still, they are head-and-shoulders above most other new bands in terms of originality and personality.
8. Type O Negative - Symphony For The Devil (DVD): They are still my favorite band, and for good reason. The commentary is particularly hilarious as well as the interview with Juliya. Best quote:

Juliya: "As a final question for you guys, what would be the most interesting way for you to die?"
Peter Steele (vocals, bass): "....it wouldn't really matter so long as I felt I made a difference in the world."
Kenny Hickey (guitar, vocals): "....you did. You made it worse."

Fuck! Forgot Scar Symmetry! Their album kicked my arse for many a month. Deviate From The Form goes close to being song of the year, for me. Maybe not quite, but very close.

Speaking of intros/outros, this album's The Path Of Least Resistance has one of the most kick-arse intros doing the rounds.

the great majority of riffs in enslaved's ruun

and anneke's voice on the gathering's home