BravePicks 2024 – The Scribes Speak! Mark Gromen

SUBSCRIBE TONIGHT prime video

BravePicks 2024 – The Scribes Speak!
Mark Gromen

Top 20 Of 2024

1) INTRANCED – Muerte y Metal (High Roller)

2) GRAND MAGUS – Sunraven (Nuclear Blast)

3) CRYPT SERMON – The Stygian Rose (Dark Descent)

4) FLOTSAM & JETSAM – I Am The Weapon (AFM)

5) JUDAS PRIEST – Invincible Shield (Epic)

6) LUCIFER’S HAMMER – Be And Exist (Dying Victims Productions)

7) NECROPHOBIC – In The Twilight Grey (Century Media)

8) ATTIC – Return Of The Witchfinder (Ván Records)

9) BEWITCHER – Spell Shock (Century Media)

10) POWERWOLF – Wake Up The Wicked (Napalm)

11) AGAINST EVIL – Give ‘Em Hell (Doc Gator Records)

12) IMPELLITTERI – War Machine (Frontiers)

13) MORGUL BLADE – Heavy Metal Wraiths (No Remorse)

14) NASTY SAVAGE – Jeopardy Room (FHM Records)

15) RIOT V – Mean Streets (Atomic Fire)

16) UNDER THE OAK – Last Of A Dying Breed (Wormhole Death)

17) RHETT FORRESTER & ROB ROBBINS – The Complete Dr. Dirty Sessions (Brave Words Records)

18) THE OBSESSED – Gilded Sorrow (Ripple Music)

19) VULTURE – Sentinels (Metal Blade)

20) ASKA – Knight Strike (Vanadium)

Top 5 Concerts

OK, let’s be honest, any multi-date, all day event, with tons of bands, should be one of the best shows of any year. A single band/club gig can’t really compete, so this list is my favorite performances of the year, regardless of venue.

WYTCH HAZEL / EARLY MOODS – Hell’s Heroes: Houston, TX
HIRAX / WATCHTOWER – Legions Of Metal: Chicago, IL
ABBATH / JUDAS PRIEST – Tons Of Rock: Oslo, Norway
BLIND GUARDIAN / NIGHT DEMON – Palladium: NYC
BURNING WITCHES / AMON AMARTH / BEHEMOTH /HAMMERFALL / SODOM – Summer Breeze: Dinkelsbuhl, Germany

Top 5 Brave Embarrassments
STRIKER – Ultrapower (Record Breaking Records)

More like ultra-flaccid, but I do agree about breaking records. Crack! What happened to this band? Is it Striker or Trixter? Saxophone, synthwave/electronic dance beats, neon colored street attire…long way from the band that toured with Bewitcher and Holy Grail, in ’19. Busy… with squelches, blips, effects and speed, but no coherent songs. They say, “Write what you know,” well there’s a tune called “Sucks To Suck.” Apparently another pandemic casualty. RIP

METALITE – Expedition One (AFM)

Well, at least the moniker is a warning. Watered down, video game, dance-metal that’s being foisted on unsuspecting listeners and helping kill off power metal. Predict this expedition will meet a similar fate to Shackelton’s Antarctic adventure.

COBRAKILL – Serpent’s Kiss (Frontiers)

At best, the missing link between Too Fast For Love and Shout At The Devil era Mötley Crüe, complete with whiny, nasal Vince Neil doppelganger. More likely, over-the-top German sleeze, with a visual nod to Manowar?

SKY WOLVES – Forgotten Tales (Golden Robot)

Don’t want to kill this Mexican quartet, as they attempt an ambitious combination of spirited orchestral power metal (think Italy, in the late 90s), and modern, fleet fingered, fretboard tapping. Problem is, the damn thing sounds like it’s sung by the bubbly Gwen Stefani, and it’s a guy!

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS – Pirates II (Napalm)

Going down for the last time? After scoring some surprising success with the swashbuckling themed Part 1, the Austrians, with dual-sex vocalists, have gone to the well once too often. At best, old school Nightwish / (Anette Olzon era), symphonic power metal. At its worst, uninspired, pretentious material, and less than half of the tunes pertain to the ocean, let alone seafaring scoundrels.

Thoughts On 2024

Some years, there are 25 to 30 albums I have to pare down to make our annual this list. In 2024, struggled to find just 20. Plenty of good (often old) live recordings being unearthed though. Guess the post-pandemic flurry of activity has finally waned and this was just a gap year, as I already know of nearly a dozen early ’25 releases that have a good shot to make next year’s tally! Take a look below for albums of note.

Who/What Has To Stop In 2025

We know why they do it, but milking fans/collectors with endless reissues that lack valuable bonus material: remixes/remasters/re-recorded and sporadic alternative takes don’t count! Many have already purchased the album (maybe a couple of times, in various formats, Lp, cassette, CD, etc), so just updating the production ain’t enough (especially for a high priced color vinyl). Give us complete, unreleased live shows, previously unavailable (demo, if necessary) tracks, new/in-depth liner notes. Worse yet, every dollar/Euro/yen spent on rehashed material is a death knell in the career of fledgling acts, the next generation struggling to gain/maintain traction. Don’t forget about them!

Metal Predictions For 2025

Known impending releases to watch for:

CENTURY – Sign Of The Storm (Electric Assault Records) Hedging my bet a little, having already heard this gem, in its entirety. The traditional minded Swedes will be back in the States, come March. Yes!

SABER – Lost In Flames (ROAR) Long overdue (and delayed, thanks to signing with German label), the hot rising LA metallers will FINALLY have their sophomore effort heard. Hopefully plenty of live dates to follow!

DESTRUCTION – Birth Of Malice (Napalm) Always fun, when the Schmier has his say.

BRAINSTORM – Plague Of Rats (Reigning Phoenix Music) Long time coming, German power metal stalwarts.

ENFORCER (Napalm) Do the frenetic Swedes continue (return to form of) Nostalgia, or opt more for Zenith direction?

MEAN MISTREATER – Do Or Die (Dying Victims Productions) After strong debut and witnessing killer live show, eager to hear album #2

OWLBEAR – Feather & Claw (Alone Records) Speaking of album numero 2, once strictly a studio project, a pair of festival shows have increased their profile, and interest in them.

AMBUSH (Napalm) – Over the top traditional Swedish metal (plenty of bushy mustaches, too). Been 5 years since the last one!

IRON SPELL – From The Grave (self-issued) Gritty Chilean metal, of the traditional variety. Lots of singles, but only other full-length was back in ’16