I already posted my Top 5 albums of the year at Mikey Ladanos Blog….you can check out his Favs of 2015 right here..just click the link friends!
Here we gooooooo!
1-Iron Maiden/Book Of Souls-Was there really any doubt! Maiden roared back with what I would say is there best album since Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son(1988). If your wondering where’s the review? Well I’m working on it and kinda funny how Maiden is my all time número uno fanboy act yet I’ve only reviewed Piece Of Mind and Seventh Son. I got a great idea for this review so give me time peeps! Of note the video posted is the song Tears Of A Clown a tune Adrian Smith and Steve Harris wrote about Robin Williams(RIP) it’s a great track!
2-Rush/R40- A few weeks back it took me 3 posts to get through this 29 song mega opus! If R40 is indeed the end of Rush as we know they have gone out on top! Thanks for a fine career fella’s!
3-Harem Scarem/Live At The Phoenix- Here’s the shocker of the bunch! This was released just a few weeks back and I tell ya its 20 songs of AOR Hard Rock Genius! When Toronto’s Harem Boys re-recorded Mood Swings in 2012 I delved back into that album which I may think cracked my Top 5 back in 2012 at Mike’s site! Fast forward to this year these songs are so good performed live! The vocals and musicianship are top notch and there’s songs on the Phoenix like Human Nature and Dagger that I had never heard til now and man oh man they are classics! Review a comin…..
4-Van Halen/Live At The Tokyo Dome(tie)The Circle At Your Service
Now your wondering what is Harem Scarem doing above VH and Hagars live albums. Easy this is a list of surprises and Harem is no doubt that as with VH and The Circle you know there gonna deliver with the classic material! Sam’s The Circle proves without a doubt that all though Hagar is pushing 70 years young he still delivers live vocally as well as having side kick Michael Anthony along for the ride doesn’t hurt as well!
VH delivers a warts n all double album and who cares if Dave has some rough patches vocally it’s Ed,Alex and especially Wolf that deliver the soundtrack of my highschool years right into my iPod! Wolfs bassing on this record is bad ass! Check out the opening to Everybody Wants Some! His bass cranked with the Wah Pedal is out of this world!
5- Def Leppard/Def Leppard(tie) Europe/War Of Kings
Ha! Boy did I ever set off a discussion with my review of this Leppard album. I was blown away by it as quite honestly I wasn’t expecting much as the last real good Lep record was Slang back in 1996. Lep delivers some throwback sounding material as well as some songs that sound like tribute songs to there idols. The album starts off well but really picks up steam about halfway thru! Great album! But I think Ladano is still lost at sea on this one! Haha…Toss him a life preserver Joe Elliot and save his ass!
UPDATE- Mr Ladano has entered Def Leppard at Number 6 Fav album of the year!
Europe along with Harem Scarem are the shockers of the year! Europe dabble into UFO and Deep Purplish Perfect Strangers territory and along with solid written material and awesome production from Dave Cobb(Rival Sons) who makes John Norums guitar all fuzzed up sonically as well as mixing the keyboards brilliantly into a win win! Jon at CD Festival And Music Guide got me onboard with his 10/10 review of War Of Kings.
Final Yammer- Yep a couple of Tie’s tossed in as this year it was hard to nail down a top 5! It was cool though as Lep,Harem and Europe surprised me and this is what the list is about! VH and The Circle delivered double live albums which means a ton of tunes and Rush as always ruled with there musical supremacy. I mean for Rush to resurrect Cyngus and Hemispheres ….Wowzers!
Iron Maiden though are top dogs and viola they delivered a solid full of epic proportions sonic assault masterpiece! Maiden rules!
Out of the seven albums in my Top 5 I have reviewed 5 of them so feel free to check out my Yammering on them!
You gotta do your homework!
As always thanks for reading along……
deKe's Vinyl Reviews & More... 
I’m with you on Europe, I was very impressed with it. And their last one Bag of Bones wasn’t that great so I almost passed on the new one. Glad I didn’t!
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Solid Bag Of Rock HMO! Europe totally stepped up and delivered! As I have said before never though I would be saying that in 2015!
Rock The Night HMO!
Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year to you too and all yer fam!
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I think most of the Top 5s this year have been a Top 6, too much good music is a nice problem to have!
Happy New Year Deke!
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You got it Geoff! It’s a great problem to have!
Happy New Year to you as well!
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Great list Deke! I saw it over at Lebrain’s, and then came here for the full scoop of jabber! Haha this is awesome. You’re absolutely right about the Maiden, holy cow that one nailed it for me too (and Mike!). I gotta say there ain’t too many surprises on your list, you ol’ rawker! But that’s a good thing. And I really hope Def Leppard sees your lists, late entry gaining a place! And your review of that Rush has me drooling. That sounds like one helluva set.
Way to go Deke! All the best in 2016!!
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Yeah man thanks for reading and following along! As Always!
Keep On Rocking In the New Year!
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HAHAHAHH! I love that I surprised you with my list! Yeah that Def Lep looked like it was about to sneak by me. When you and Aaron and Jompa all came in so positive, I decided to order it. And you guys were pretty much right! I listened to that album, and the Stealth CD, yesterday. I had to be sure what to do!
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I figured between here and the discussions on Facecrack you would go for it.
It was kinda cool to steer you in that direction so all good!
Now that you like the Leppard! Hahaha
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May I just say I particularly love the line ‘5 of the 7 albums in my Top 5’ … say, what?!!
It’s a big fave that Maiden album.
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Hahahaha…..cheap lines! Maiden was on a lot of people’s Lists…..Europe was the one that was cool to getting some due!
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