The 2019 Top 10 Albums: The Hard List

Continuing with our revelation of the Best Albums of 2019, I am turning up the volume. In our previous post I revealed the top 10 Soft Albums, and by that I mean Pop, Worship, Gospel and Adult Contemporary. We now go to the Hard List. Rock, Metal, Industrial, Rap. Let's get to it.

1. Wolves At The Gate - Eclipse: The Hardest on so many levels - Volume, Thrash Vocals, Subject Matter. WATG impressed me from the first time I heard them, which
   
   was VxV in 2014 and each album which has followed has showed amazing growth in both music and lyrics. Eclipse is a masterpiece telling of sin and redemption and the power of the Grace of God. These guys would be called Hyper Grace by certain Pharisees (you know who you are). "Forgiveness despite my defiance". A sermon has not been crafted that tells it better.
2. Within Temptation -  Resist: Like the soft list before it, this list seems to have gotten a 1 and 1B, one "Christian" and one "Mainstream". I came across Within Temptation due to a Best women in Metal video on Youtube and I am so glad I did. Sharon den Adel blends her Operatic Vocals with Symphonic Metal which here has the addition of Industrial and Keyboards. I love the majestic sound on songs like Endless War and In Vain. This is one temptation that you wont want to Resist. Better yet, on the Deluxe Version of this album you get the bonus of instrumental tracks, which lets you enjoy the orchestration in all its glory. Not to take away anything from the vocals.
3. Michael Sweet - Ten. Never has an album had a better title. Though the title cut actually is a reference to the Ten Commandments, it could also be the rating for the album (A Perfect 10). The tireless Stryper frontman hits you hard right from the start with his trademark high scream and screaming guitars on Better Part of Me. The intensity barely lets up, though there is time for a ballad to catch your breath.
4. Diviner - Realms of Time. Greek Metal. You wouldn't think the two would be linked, but they are. Diviner is a Metal Band in the vein of Theocracy. Very well crafted.
5. White Collar Sideshow - I Didn't Come Here To Die: The Night Beat has always had a love for industrial music back from the days of Deitiphobia and Aleixa. White Collar Sideshow blends the industrial with country into what they call Arkansas Shock and Roll. TD and Veronica Benton have crafted an album which surpasses a "Fringe" masterpiece (the style of music is on the fringes of CCM) which in my mind surpasses The WitchHunt, which was a formidable task indeed. The Bottom 5 without comments.
6. Scott Stapp - The Space Between The Shadows
7. Seventh Day Slumber - Closer To Chaos
8. Skillet - Victorious
9. Adelaide - Strong + Brave
10. NF - The Search

You know it's a packed list when you have to leave Thi'sl, Andy Hunter, and Scandroid in the Honorable Mentions list, but that is where we are this year. We are done with the top 10 Albums. I will include an EP list later on, but I have a First Quarter Wrap to complete. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Reckoning: The 2019 Platinum Vinyl Awards 2nd Qtr - Metal Rap

Rap/Hip-Hop and Hard Rock/Heavy Metal finish off our three megaposts. From here on in it is all one genre per post.

Rap/Hip-Hop

• Heesun Lee - Flying Cars EP
• Steven Malcolm - The Second City
• Tedashii - Never Fold

Hard Rock/Metal

• August Burns Red - Phantom Sessions EP
• Demon Hunter - War
• The Persuaded - Dawn of Destruction
• Within Temptation - Resist

Those who are solely familiar with the CCM Market may be unfamiliar with Within Temptation. They are a mainstream symphonic metal band from The Netherlands. They belong to the fringe. Their lyrics are full of Spiritual meaning, like LEAH, U2, Evanescence and others. And if you are wondering what happened to Demon Hunter's other album Peace, wait for the Rock section. Our first single genre post is Folk Music. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Night Beat Rewind: February 2019

We are two thirds of the way through the second quarter of #PVX (Platinum Vinyl 10 to the rest of you). And what a quarter it is January started us off with 4 Perfect 5's and February has blown that away with 11 Perfect 5's. It's a Temptation that may be impossible to Resist.

The Singles Scene

• Meredith Andrews - Open Over Us (Live) 5 Emeralds
• Apollo LTD - Heaven (All Around You) 5 Emeralds
• Battledrums - Breakthrough 4.75 Emeralds
• Big Daddy Weave - Alive 4.75 Emeralds
• Bonray - Love U Forever 4.75 Emeralds
• Marci Coleman - Timeline 4.75 Emeralds
• The Color - The Kind of Man 5 Emeralds
• Dayseye - Victory 4.75 Emeralds
• Demon Hunter - Close Enough 5 Emeralds
• Demon Hunter - More Than Bones 5 Emeralds
• Deraj - Everything 4.75 Emeralds
• Deraj - Genes 4.50 Emeralds
• DJ Em-D - Away ft Shope 4.75 Emeralds
• Embassy - Jehovah Jireh (ft Deraj) 5 Emeralds
• For All Seasons - Light and Momentary 5 Emeralds
• GAWVI - Hope You Say 4.75 Emeralds
• Chad Graham - You say/Look Up Child/Rescue/Still Rolling Stones 5 Emeralds
• Sara Groves - Jesus See The Traveler 4.75 Emeralds
• HGHTS - Somebody ft Kristen Hicks 5 Emeralds
• Koryn Howthorne - Unstoppable ft Lecrae 5 Emeralds
• Luke and Anna Hellebronth - Abide 5 Emeralds
• JJ Heller - The Place Where Lost Things Go (from Mary Poppins Returns) 5 Emeralds
• Highlands Worship - Jesus You Alone 5 Emeralds
• Hillsong United - As You Find Me (Live) 5 Emeralds
• Hollyn - Good Times 4.75 Emeralds
• Influencers - Just The Cross 5 Emeralds
• Ledger - Completely 5 Emeralds
• Elle Limebear - Call On Your Name 5 Emeralds
• Local Sound - Never Far 4.75 Emeralds
• Dianne Michelle - Let It Be Evident 4.75 Emeralds
• Narrow Skies - Season of Gold 5 Emeralds
• Neon Feather - Come To Life ft Matty Mullins 4.75 Emeralds
• Christy Nockels - In Every Way 5 Emeralds
• Pastor Victor Onwundi - You are at the centre 4.25 Emeralds
• Brian Ortize - Only Jesus ft London Gatch 5 Emeralds
• Ginny Owens - Echo 4.75 Emeralds
• Passion - Step Into The Light ft Sean Curran [Live From Passion 2019] 4.75 Emeralds
• Plumb - Somebody Loves You 5 Emeralds
• Royal Company - Found In You 4.75 Emeralds
• John Schlitt - Fighting The Fight 4.75 Emeralds
• Beckah Shae - You Are 5 Emeralds
• Shonlock - Gnarly 4.75 Emeralds
• Michael W. Smith - Waymaker ft Vanessa Camapgna & Madelyn Berry 5 Emeralds
• Social Club Misfits - Everytime 4.50 Emeralds
• Stars Go Dim - It's Gonna Get Better 4.75 Emeralds
• JSteph - Erasing History 5 Emeralds
• Roy Tosh - Close ft Evan and Eris 4.75 Emeralds
• Roy Tosh - More Love ft CASS 4.75 Emeralds
• Vineyard Worship - You're Carrying Me 4.75 Emeralds
• Kevin Ward - He Loves 4.75 Emeralds
• Jeremy James Whitaker - Promise Me 5 Emeralds
• Jeremy James Whitaker - Tell Me What Is Real 4.75 Emeralds
• Jeremy James Whitaker - Turmoil (Ju5tabu5t Remix) 4.75 Emeralds
• Ian Yates - Deconstruction 5 Emeralds

54 Entries. Yikes. That's a lot of songs. If there are a comparable number of albums released we will soon be inundated. On to the albums, and we begin with the albums which do not make the cut.

Missing The Mark

• Xay Hill - Red Ranger: Part 3 3.75 Emeralds
• 1k Phew - What's Understood 4.25 Emeralds
• Slow Coming Day - 1,000 Years (Like A Day) 4.25 Emeralds

3 Missing The Mark is pretty low, but it's still okay. You'll wonder when you see the next segment.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Adelaide - Strong + Brave 5 Emeralds
• Evan and Eris - Seasons 5 Emeralds
• London Gatch - New Stories 5 Emeralds
• Donald Lawrence - Goshen 5 Emeralds
• New Hope Oahu - Scripture Songs 5 Emeralds
• Brady Novotny - Passions Collide 5 Emeralds
• Michael W. Smith - Awaken: The Surrounded Experience 5 Emeralds
• The Tommies - The Tommies Reunion 5 Emeralds
• 29:11 Worship - Marble and Mortar, Volume 1 5 Emeralds
• Various - Lift Every Voice and Sing, Volume 1 5 Emeralds
• Within Temptation - Resist 5 Emeralds

3 MTM to 11 Perfect. It appears that the candy store is open for business. But Hey, it's February, and candy and chocolate is in style. We have many criteria to pick a Perfect 5 Album, probably as many as the genres themselves. One of the major criteria is that the album is perceived as perfectly representing the genre that it is in. And in the case of New Hope Oahu, I have given a 5 for the effort. Turning non psalms into music is quite an undertaking. Most will not do it. On to the music in the middle.

Semi-Precious Metals

• August Burns Red - Phantom Sessions EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Becca Bradley - Heaven Come Down 4.50 Emeralds
• Cross Point Music - Cross Point Music 4.75 Emeralds
• Dayseye - Victory EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Elias Dummer - The Works, Volume 1 4.75 Emeralds
• Keith and Kristen Getty - Sing! Psalms: Ancient and Modern (Live at The Getty Music Worship Conference) 4.75 Emeralds
• Chad Graham - First 4.75 Emeralds
• Alex Holt and Free Worship - Grace.Mercy.Love 4.75 Emeralds
• Rick Lee James - Thunder 4.75 Emeralds
• Lindy and The Circuit Riders - Driven By Love 4.50 Emeralds
• Radiate Worship - Come Alive 4.50 Emeralds
• The Recording Collective - Gospel Volume 3: Yes And Amen EP 4.75 Emeralds
• K-Ross - Son 4.75 Emeralds
• The Ruins - The Ruins EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Shane and Shane - Hymns (Live) 4.50 Emeralds
• Switch - Symphony EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Chris Tomlin - Is He Worthy? EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Upperroom - To The One 4.75 Emeralds
• Cory Voss - Songs of The House (ft Madison Street Worship) 4.75 Emeralds

That does it for February. March is already off to a Lions start. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.