It seems like cheating a little bit to include a Diamond Head album on this list that originally came out in 1980, but this 2020 re-recording is so far and away stronger and more powerful than the original, it’s basically a brand new record. – RR Diamond Head – Lightning to the Nations 2020 (Silver Lining) Now in his 70s, he sounds reinvigorated and he’s having fun again. I would be lying if I said I didn’t approach this album with skepticism, but it’s honestly Osbourne’s best work in years, somehow tying together his Sabbath era, his four decades of solo work, along with modern elements. He invited guests as diverse as Post Malone, Elton John, and rapper Travis Scott, with some guitar solos from Slash and Tom Morello. Osbourne tapped Guns ‘n’ Roses bassist Duff McKagen to drop the low end, and drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot) to anchor the rhythm section. Watt also served as guitarist for the album and Bell as keyboardist. This time around it’s basically just Ozzy and two producers, Andrew Watt and Louis Bell who also co-wrote the album.
Ordinary Man, now there’s a misnomer if ever there was one, or is it? Not so ordinary Ozzy breaks away from tradition on his latest opus. Perhaps it’s purely nostalgia, but Ozzy Osbourne’s latest (and likely final) studio album is his best work in 20 years.
– Rustyn Rose (RR) Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man (Epic/Sony) For that reason, and in honor of Malcolm and Angus, I think the album would have better been titled, Forever Young. There are moments on Power Up that take us all the way back to their debut records, and it makes us feel as if AC/DC could continue for another 20 years. With 17 albums and over 45-years-worth of foot-tapping rock and roll under its collective belts, AC/DC has nothing to prove and this album is as much a dedication to the late Malcolm Young as it is their fans and to themselves. Founder and guitarist Angus Young sounds as hungry as ever, and vocalist Brian Johnson is still in fine form. It’s a sound that’s imminently enjoyable and hard to find fault in, even if they aren’t really giving you anything new. Every track is steeped in AC/DC’s readily identifiable sonic DNA. You just want to put it on, turn off your brain and have a good time. Power Up sounds the way a comfortable pair of worn in jeans feels. While fans were not sure if there would ever be another AC/DC album, they have to be thrilled with Power Up, which is likely the quintet’s final installment of feel good riff and roll.
Honorable Mentions:įirst we must acknowledge these excellent albums by metal’s legends… AC/DC – Power Up (Columbia/Sony) Please share your thoughts below on albums you think we should have included since even with a staff of writers, some albums will always get missed. If we missed your favorite album we’ll blame it on the murder hornets and #fakenews. Our lone elitist snob staffer is still curled up on the linoleum with his head against the cool of the toilet bowl, so we’ll not be hearing from him this year. top 50Īfter a drunken evening of nerdy debauchery featuring Spinal Tap and D&D, the staff of Metal Nation set to work culling our collective Best of 2020 in heavy music. While many artists have pushed back the release of new music until 2021, many have enthralled fans with fantastic new albums in a year where we arguably needed it the most, so for that we thank you all. Touring has long been a primary source of income for the bands and a release for fans. For music fans and artists, the loss of live events has been crushing. From lockdowns and supply shortages, to wearing masks and social distancing, to the massive loss of life and abundance of illness, it has been the worst year most of us have ever experienced. The pandemic has altered the landscape of our everyday life around the globe. We at Metal Nation do not think anyone would argue that 2020 has been a complete dumpster fire.
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