Every year, Hardrock Haven staffers compile their Top 10 best releases. Here’s the writers’ favorites from 2011:
Alissa’s Top 10 For 2011
- Jimi Hendrix – Winterland
- Jimmy Page – Death Wish II
- Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist
- Richie Kotzen – 24 Hours
- Mastodon – The Hunter
- The Alex Skolnick Trio – Veritas
- Duane Eddy – Road Trip
- Tony MacAlpine – Tony MacAlpine
- Tinariwen – Tassili
- Matt Schofield – Anything But Time
Chris A’s Top 10 for 2011
- Shredhead – Human Nature
- Megadeth – TH1RT3EN
- Bobaflex – Hell In My Heart
- Black Country Communion – Black Country Communion
- Dusk Machine – The Final Fall
- Mobile Deathcamp – Clear and Present Anger
- Social 66 – Self Governed
- Vibrathorr – Kingdom
- Pop Evil – War of Angels
- Rush – Time Machine DVD
Cyndy Jo’s Top 10 for 2011
- Adele—21 (oh yes I did!)
- Mastodon—The Hunter
- Foo Fighters—Wasting Light
- Anthrax—Worship Music
- Children of Bodom—Relentless Reckless Forever
- Protest the Hero—Scurrilous
- Iced Earth– Dystopia
- Saxon—Call to Arms
- DevilDriver—Beast
- Steel Panther—Balls Out (oh yes I did! Again!)
Deb’s Top Ten For 2011
- Sixx A.M. – This Is Gonna Hurt
- Puddle Of Mudd – re:(disc)covered
- Black Veil Brides – Set The World On Fire
- AC/DC – Let There Be Rock
- Lou Reed and Metallica – Lulu
- Burn Halo – Up From The Ashes
- Motorhead – The World Is Yours
- Night Ranger – Somewhere In California
- Michael Schenker – Temple Of Rock
- Sin City Sinners – A Sinners Christmas
Derric’s Top 10 for 2011
- Jag Panzer – The Scourge of the Light
- Black N Blue – Hell Yeah!
- Anthrax – Worship Music
- Arch/Matheos – Sympathetic Resonance
- Cauldron – Burning Fortune
- Keel – Streets of Rock and Roll
- Widow – Life’s Blood
- White Wizzard – Flying Tigers
- Edguy – Age of the Joker
- Riot – Immortal Soul
Elsie’s Top 10 for 2011
- Channel Zero – Feed ‘Em With A Brick
- Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare
- Megadeth – 13
- Alter Bridge – AB 3.5
- Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist
- Edguy – Age of the Joke
- Tesla – Twisted Wires and the Acoustic Sessions
- Anthrax – Worship Music
- Trivium – In Waves
- Opeth – Heritage
Joe’s Top 10 for 2011
- Stala & So – It Is So
- One Without – Sweet Relief
- Bonfire – Branded
- Silver Lake – Silver Lake
- 3 –The Ghost You Gave To Me
- Tokyo Blade – Thousand Men Strong
- Arch/Matheos – Sympathetic Resonance
- Alberto Rigoni – Rebirth
- Ivan Mihaljevic & Side Effects – Destination Unknown
- Odd Dimension – Symmetrical
John K’s Top 10 for 2011
- Anthrax – Worship Music
- George Lynch – Kill All Control
- J.R. Blackmore & Friends – Voices Part 1
- Evile – Five Serpent’s Teeth
- TNT – A Farewell to Arms
- Iced Earth – Dystopia
- Jag Panzer – The Scourge of the Light
- Tesla – Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions
- Rainbow – Live in Germany 1976
- UFO – THE CHRYSALIS YEARS (1973-1979)
John M’s Top 10 for 2011
- Black Label Society – The Song Remains Not The Same
- Sebastian Bach – Kicking and Screaming
- Trillium – Alloy
- Bulletboys – Rocked & Ripped
- Scorpions – Comeblack
- Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare 2
- Mr. Big – What If…
- Megadeth – Th1rt3en
- Ozzy Osbourne – Diary Of A Madman 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wednesday 13 – Calling All Corpses
Justin’s Top 10 for 2011
- Leprous – Bilateral
- Voyager – The Meaning of I
- Ghost – Opus Eponymous
- Widow – Life’s Blood
- Twisted Tower Dire – Make It Dark
- Arch/Matheos – Sympathetic Resonance
- Eden’s Curse – Trinity
- Pagan’s Mind – Heavenly Ecstasy
- Anubis Gate – self-titled
- Rob Moratti – Victory
Mark’s Top 10 for 2011
- Destrophy – Cry Havoc
- Black Stone Cherry – Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea
- Emphatic – Damage
- Five Finger Death Punch – American Capitalist
- Shotgun Alley – Shotgun Alley
- Machine Head – Unto the Locust
- Sebastian Bach – Kicking & Screaming
- Reckless Love – Animal Attraction
- Vain – Enough Rope
- Toby Hitchcock – Mercury’s Down
Mars’s Top 10 for 2011
- Dirty Passion – Different Tomorrow
- House Of Lords – Big Money
- Gotthard – Homegrown , Live in Lugano
- Whitesnake – Forevermore
- Tora Tora – Revolution Day
- The Union – Siren’s Song
- Toby Hitchcock – Mercury Down
- Whitesnake – Live at Donington 1990
- The Poodles – Performocracy
- Bonfire – Branded
Nikiforos Top 10 for 2011
- Shy – Shy
- Miss Behaviour – Last Woman Standing
- King Kobra – King Kobra
- Bai Bang – Living My Dream
- House of Lords – Big Money
- Sinner – One Bullet Left
- Scheepers – Scheepers
- Work of Art – In Porgress
- The Poodles – Performancy
- Grand Illusion – Prince of Paupers
Ron’s Top 10 for 2011
- Beach Boys – The Smile Sessions
- Night Ranger – Somewhere in California
- Yes – Fly from Here
- Journey – Eclipse
- Theocracy – As the World Bleeds
- Toby Hitchcock – Mercury’s Down
- Mr. Big – What If?
- King Kobra – King Kobra
- Saxon – Call to Arms
- Social Distortion – Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
Steve’s Top 10 for 2011
- Whitesnake – The Definitive Collection
- Evergrey – Glorious Collision
- Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events
- Night Ranger – Somewhere In California
- Journey – Eclipse
- Firewind – Days of Defiance
- Accept – Blood of The Nations
- Loudness – The Best of ( The Atlantic Years)
- Whitesnake – Live In The Shadow of The Blues
- Sevendust – Cold Day Memory
Trevor’s Top 10 for 2011
- Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
- Anthrax – Worship Music
- Nicke Borg’s Homeland – Chapter 2
- Terrorvision – Super Delux
- Einherjer – Norrøn
- Devin Townsend – Deconstruction
- Demonaz – March of the Norsemen
- Vintersorg – Jordpuls
- Michael Monroe – Sensory Overdrive
- Symfonia – In Paradisum
Richie Kotzen’s album was phenomenal, as was George Lynch’s. These two axe masters have lost none of their verve, swagger and skill