» Toplist Thomas 2006  
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Best albums

- Enter The Hunt - To Life. Til Death. To Hell. With Love
I was being stingy when I graded this album in my review, 9,5 out of 10 is not nearly enough as it turns out. This is simply a perfect album of progressive metal with dark suggestive rhythms that sucks you in, combined with introverted yet emotional melodies and a voice that is purely amazing. Never has an album spoken as directly to me as this one.

- Stone Sour - Come What (ever) May
Catchy metal with a harder edge, further it is the perfect album to define what modern American metal is according to me. And once again, Corey Taylor shows that he has a great voice when he makes better use of it than what he does in Slipknot.

- Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side
The riffs, the mighty riffs, it is simply breathtaking. With a great sense for melodies and heavy bone-crushing riffing Amon Amarth comes forth with yet another album where they deliver their metal with a massive amount of authority.

- Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet
This band constitutes how folk inspired power metal should be done. With speed, a great feel for the melodic and with a powerful voice you cannot resist being captivated.

- Trivium - The Crusade
I take back every depreciated word I have ever said about Trivium in the past. Their blend of classic "Master Of Puppets" thrash combined with a modern sound and a nice touch for vocal harmonies and guitar melodies on The Crusade is outstanding. The future belongs to Trivium and might this be the album that puts them ahead of Metallica?
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Runner ups:
Slayer - Christ Illusion, Bloodbound - Nosferatu, Tool - 10.000 Days, Kalmah - The Black Waltz, Falconer - Northwind, Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death, Angtoria - God Has A Plan For Us All, Nevermore - This Godless Endeavour, Astral Doors - Astralism
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Not albums but most worthy of mentioning are the DVD's:

- Amon Amarth - Wrath Of The Norsemen
The uncrowned masters of synchronized headbanging. My first live experience of Amon Amarth came from this full-packed DVD and now I desperately want to see them live.

- Kamelot - One Cold Winter's Night
This captured performance is simply magnificent, Kamelot must have done their best concert during their career so far in Oslo. With the guest-performances, the splendid footage, and the excellent set-list this is among the absolute best DVD's I have seen.

Biggest disappointments

- Anthrax not kicking ass
Anthrax entered the stage at Trädgårn in Gothenburg and their concert started in a great manor. However, after only 45 seconds it was at end, and then there was silence. An electrical failure forced them to cancel the show and it was with great disappointment I left the venue.

- Candlemass not being able to hold it together, again.
After a strong comeback album I hoped that it would carry on in the same way, and perhaps get even better. But Messiah and the band went separate ways after some times of disputes and now that era seems to be at a final end. Candlemass will live on nevertheless, but it will not be the same this time either.

- Cradle Of Filth @ Metaltown, Gothenburg, Sweden
I expected so much from this band, but they delivered so little. This was an un-tight performance and with ill sounding vocals from Dani that appeared to be extremely pissed of about something.

- Redkey - Rage Of Fire
Do not get me wrong, this is a good album, but when Thomas Rettke and Sascha Paeth joined forces again I expected greatness in likeness with the magic those two created with Heaven's Gate.

Happiest/biggest news

- Camp Covenant @ Sweden Rock Festival 2006
To finally meet some of the guys from the Metal Covenant staff for the first time by living together at the festival and having a great time.

- Heaven & Hell to Sweden Rock Festival 2007
Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio, Sweden Rock Festival is going to be bloody great next year.

- Iron Maiden
According to Bruce Dickinson at their concerts in Sweden this fall Iron Maiden is about to return to Sweden in 2008 for the second part of the "early days tour". Up the Irons!!!

Best live concerts

- Nevermore @ Sweden Rock Festival
Despite that they were one man short they delivered a great concert anyhow, and is Jeff Loomis one of the worlds most underrated guitarists or what?

- Enter The Hunt @ Metaltown, Gothenburg, Sweden
They made me completely loose track of time during their set.

- Kamelot @ Sticky Fingers, Gothenburg, Sweden
What better way to get fully acquainted to a band then to see them live? With only limited knowledge about Bolt Thrower they made a huge impression on me.

- Bolt Thrower @ Sticky Fingers, Gothenburg, Sweden
What better way to get fully acquainted to a band then to see them live? With only limited knowledge about Bolt Thrower they made a huge impression on me.

- Tool @ Metaltown, Gothenburg, Sweden
An audio/visual experience that was magical in its suggestive way.

- Iron Maiden @ Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden
Personally I thought it was great to hear A Matter Of Life And Death in it's entire, even if Maiden are my favourites I have heard the classics so many times by now and this felt refreshing.