How has 2015 shaped up for you musically?

[jingle.boy]

I had forgotten about Nightwish.  Easily the biggest disappointment of the year for me.  I might be done with them, despite them having Floor.

[PuffyPat]

2015 has been non stop in terms of great albums. it started kinda slow, w/ only father john misty and JEFF the brotherhood putting out records i wanted, but then the summer hit, and things have never looked back (and JEFF put out another record).

[Mosh]

Endless Forms is my 2nd favorite Metal album this year, right behind Maiden.

[hefdaddy42]

2015?

New releases from:

Periphery
Punch Brothers
The Neal Morse Band
Steven Wilson
The Gentle Storm
Glass Hammer
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Sufjan Stevens
Josh Rouse
Umphrey's McGee
The Dear Hunter
Florence + The Machine
Tremonti
Kingcrow
Between The Buried And Me
Galactic
Joe Satriani
Spock's Beard
Amorphis
Riverside
David Gilmour
TesseracT
The Winery Dogs
Bela Fleck & Chick Corea

Yeah, it's been a pretty awesome year for music for me.

[cramx3]

2015 is the greatest year of music I've been around to actively follow. So many amazing albums. Spectacular year after a mediocre 2014.

This.

Iron Maiden's Book of Souls and Nightwish's Endless Forms Most Beautiful are two of the best new releases in a single year that I can remember.

Also, for me, I went to more concerts than ever before in one year so my year musically has been fantastic.  It's too bad DT couldn't get their album out this year, would have made it even better.

[Outcrier]

Good year, some pretty good albums from Bjork, Beach House, Lupe Fiasco, Joanna Newsom, Jamie xx... Some really amazing stuff from Kendrick Lamar and Sufjan Stevens (Carrie & Lowell being my AOTY).

[jingle.boy]

Random thought (prompted from the above) - I'm often amazed how such diverse musical tastes get attracted to DTF.

As for 2015... I've been listening through the albums I've bought/Spotified.  Some have aged well; some have not.

[Calvin6s]

Random thought (prompted from the above) - I'm often amazed how such diverse musical tastes get attracted to DTF.

It seems just about right to me.  Dream Theater usually gets attention because they are different.  And when the subdivision of prog metal filled up, Dream Theater still remained one of the most influential.

So DT attracts people yearning for something different.  And when you overdose on prog metal, something different can even be pop.

Just to stop it before it begins, I'm not elevating DT listeners above other listeners.  Just pointing out what is probably a common trait of people attracted to such music in the first place.

[cramx3]

I agree with that, I think if you are into prog music then you are more likely to be open minded about music. and therefore the tastes of each prog fan can be very different.  I think we see that with the survivors on this forum when music from a single band can have such diverse opinions from the fan base on this forum.

[MirrorMask]

Random thoughts...

Most expected album: Iron Maiden, The Book of Souls... DAMN IT TURNED OUT AWESOME! Disclaimer: I'm a full Maiden fanboy, when I was starting to develop my musical tastes they've been my first metal band... you never forget your first love and I'll always declare them my favorite band ever no matter what, even though after 20 years of listening to them I stopped to listen to the older albums, I hear The Trooper and The Number of the Beast only when I see them live nowadays. I still follow the albums of course, and I like the reunion ones, this one is absolutely mindblowing. Empire of the Clouds is the best song of the year and Bruce's Monna Lisa.

Big names that disappointed a bit, in a sense that I don't think their album sucked but they didn't conquer me like Maiden did: Blind Guardian and Nigtwish. Both albums are very good, but I liked their predecessors more.

Biggest suprise: The Gentle Storm. Arjen did it again, he created together with the great Anneke Van Giersbergen a total masterpiece, a captivating and heartbreaking story set in the Dutch golden era. I'm in awe at the sheer beauty of these songs, and I applaud the genial idea of having two versions of the same album, with different arrangements.

Another album I love and I consumed to death is from an underground italian act, Arcana Opera, it's called De Noir in case you may want to check it out on Spotify; the music is a mix of heavy metal and gothic rock, with some folk here and there, and the lyrics in italian are deep and poetic, and very hermetic. A dark gem from the italian underground.

Words of praise also for Jorn Lande's Dracula album, a mini rock opera packed of awesome songs. No pompose thing, no intros, no spoken sections, no epics for epics' sake, just 45 minutes of damn convincing heavy metal and memorable songs. Solid record like he never really does anymore with his standard solo albums.

More random thoughts: Symphony X did an album that I like more than Iconoclast, it has many great songs. Love To Hell and Black.

Halestorm's Into the Wild Life is very good, but The Strange Case Of was their definitive record for me.

Trans Siberian Orchestra's brand new record, Letters from the Labyrinth, is a major let down. Short songs, half of it instrumentals, and no epic piece, just same old same old, a couple of songs with choirs, a couple of ballads that alone can't save the album, and the same tropes... on the last non-Xmas album they gave us Epiphany and now just these random collection of short simple songs? meh.

Ghost's Meliora is nice as well, but there's only so much you can do in a self-imposed strict genre before running out of memorable songs.

[Calvin6s]

I agree with that, I think if you are into prog music then you are more likely to be open minded about music.

I'd dance around the edges on the open-minded tag.  I like to think of it more as a crack addict.  We need our musical highs and that can only come by experimenting with new drugs.

[wolfking]

I've been pretty damn happy with the releases this year.

[sneakyblueberry]

I just realised that I'm still waiting for something good to come out of 2015.  Besides Maiden, nothing's really grabbed me.  Or maybe I'm just not remembering properly. 

[Bolsters]

2015 has been very good for me. Not as good as 2013 but much better than 2014 was. There's still a few things coming out before the end of the year, too.

[jingle.boy]

2015 has been very good for me. Not as good as 2013 but much better than 2014 was. There's still a few things coming out before the end of the year, too.

I'd agree.... looking back at my 2013 releases, there was a shit-ton of awesomeness there.  2014 had some great albums, but there wasn't a ton of quantity + quality.  2015 is shaping up to be better.

[lonestar]

I would say all the name bands hit their marks, with Steven Wilson and Symphony X having the best releases. Maiden was fun, but won't see a ton of play time from me, Nightwish was a solid one as well. Just starting to really get my head around TesseracT's new one, and they're clawing their way up the ladder. From the lesser known ones, Kingcrow just killed it with Eidos, a sure AOTY contender. New bands that stole my heart include Voices from the Fuselage, Shattered Skies, and my new favorite band Deadly Circus Fire.

[jingle.boy]

  re: Maiden. 

[lonestar]

  re: Maiden.

Yeah, Empire of the Clouds was epic and shit, but Bruce has just lost to much for me to enjoy repeated spins, or maybe I'm just bitter as fuck that they're skipping SF for their tour. 

[cramx3]

  re: Maiden.

Yeah, Empire of the Clouds was epic and shit, but Bruce has just lost to much for me to enjoy repeated spins, or maybe I'm just bitter as fuck that they're skipping SF for their tour. 

Must be the bitterness because Bruce sounds amazing on that album to my ears.

[Zydar]

  re: Maiden.

Yeah, Empire of the Clouds was epic and shit, but Bruce has just lost to much for me to enjoy repeated spins, or maybe I'm just bitter as fuck that they're skipping SF for their tour. 

Must be the bitterness because Bruce sounds amazing on that album to my ears.

He definitely does.

[mrrct]

I agree with the previous posters about Endless Forms Most Beautiful being disappointing.  It was decent at best, and Floor's talent wasn't used anywhere near to her capability.  I did not get the Maiden album yet, because I haven't cared for anything they've made since Dance of Death.  Even then, that was the first album of theirs that I liked since Fear of the Dark.

I think my favorite album of the year, by default, is probably Kamelot's Haven.  A little wankerish for some people's taste, I'm sure.  2016 is shaping up to be better, not only with The Astonishing, but a lot of symphonic metal that I like coming as well.

[Evermind]

Kamelot's Haven is what I would call decent at best. Such a huge letdown after Silverthorn for me.

[jingle.boy]

Kamelot's Haven is what I would call decent at best. Such a huge letdown after Silverthorn for me.

Wow... I thought it was at least as good, if not a little better.

[cramx3]

I wouldn't call Haven a let down at all, a very solid follow up, but I do enjoy Silverthorn a bit more.

And I listened to Endless Forms Most Beautiful this morning, it's definitely album of the year for me.  Honestly, one of the best albums I have ever heard.  I know I am in the minority opinion on this board for that, but I find that album to be a masterpiece. 

[Evermind]

It's funny, I disliked Haven at first, then it grew on me a bit, and then it ungrew ( ) back. It's fine on the first few tracks: Fallen Star is great and their best song since The Black Halo album (along with Song for Jolee), Insomnia is good, Citizen Zero is great, Veil of Elysium is decent, and then everything else ranges from meh to alright and pretty much forgettable.

I'm not even sure it'll make my Top 10 for this year. Maybe at 10th place, definitely not higher.

And I really loved Silverthorn, still listening to it often, that's why I called it a "huge" letdown.

[kaos2900]

I was very impressed with the QR, Symphony X, Iron Maiden, Saxon, CIIC and Stryper releases.  Then a handful of other great albums, so for me, it was a great year musically.

At first I was like "How did I miss Quiet Riot putting out a new album this year?" 

Wow, I LOVED the new Nightwish album. Might end up my album of the year. Overall it was a solid year. 22 albums purchased. Going to be hard to do a top 10 list. Going to start ranking after I spin the new Adele album.
I had forgotten about Nightwish.  Easily the biggest disappointment of the year for me.  I might be done with them, despite them having Floor.

[mrrct]

It's funny, I disliked Haven at first, then it grew on me a bit, and then it ungrew ( ) back. It's fine on the first few tracks: Fallen Star is great and their best song since The Black Halo album (along with Song for Jolee), Insomnia is good, Citizen Zero is great, Veil of Elysium is decent, and then everything else ranges from meh to alright and pretty much forgettable.

I'm not even sure it'll make my Top 10 for this year. Maybe at 10th place, definitely not higher.

And I really loved Silverthorn, still listening to it often, that's why I called it a "huge" letdown.

I liked "Veil of Elysium" when it came out as a lyric video, but then I saw the video for "Insomnia" on Blabbermouth, and it didn't do much for me.  But some of the other tracks I heard when I streamed the album, especially "Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)" and "Under Grey Skies," made it a must purchase.

I thought that Silverthorn had its moments, but was a mild disappointment.  I bought it as soon as it came out, because I have everything of theirs since Karma (except One Cold Winter Night), but other than "Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)," not much of the album really connected with me.  Still better than Poetry for the Poisoned, though, even if Elize Ryd is no replacement for Simone Simons (or even Amanda Somerville) for the female parts.  I think that Tommy Karevik is an outstanding replacement for Khan, because he sounds similar enough to him to perform the old songs, but is younger and his voice is more powerful (or less shot), and even looks the part.

I'd be remiss not to mention that I also really liked Xandria's Sacrificium EP this year as well, despite the Meatloaf cover.  Their singer of the moment (four since 2010), Dianne van Giersbergen, is as talented as any of the major symphonic metal queens.

[Evermind]

Well, there's tastes for ya. I think Under Grey Skies is one of the worst ballads they've ever made.

I think that Tommy Karevik is an outstanding replacement for Khan

Now that I can agree with.

[cramx3]

I think that Tommy Karevik is an outstanding replacement for Khan

Now that I can agree with.

+1

[Crow]

i think the problem with 2015 for me was that a lot of the 2015 releases i'll eventually check out aren't ones i'm gonna end up getting in 2015 

[mrrct]

Well, there's tastes for ya. I think Under Grey Skies is one of the worst ballads they've ever made.

I think that Tommy Karevik is an outstanding replacement for Khan

Now that I can agree with.

It's wimpy, sure, but I don't see it as any worse than "House on a Hill," "Love You to Death," or any of their other ballads.  Besides, I'm a Charlotte Wessels mark.

[cramx3]

Well, there's tastes for ya. I think Under Grey Skies is one of the worst ballads they've ever made.

I think that Tommy Karevik is an outstanding replacement for Khan

Now that I can agree with.

It's wimpy, sure, but I don't see it as any worse than "House on a Hill," "Love You to Death," or any of their other ballads.  Besides, I'm a Charlotte Wessels mark.

and I like Troy on the pipes!  One thing I love about Kamelot is the use of guests on thier albums and tours, seeing them tomorrow and they brought Kobra Page on this tour for the female vocals, should be awesome.

[jammindude]

Probably the best year of music that I can even remember.   '84-'89 (with the explosion of early thrash, college bands like Jane's Addiction and the Chili Peppers hitting their peak...etc...) was a pretty great time period, but I'd be strapped to remember a single year with so many fantastic releases that I was personally following the whole way.

Native Construct
Steven Wilson
TesseracT
Queensryche
Iron Maiden
Spock's Beard
Riverside

...and that's just off the top of my head!   Really amazing albums all!!

[Nihil-Morari]

I'm usually really late when it comes to new music. Takes a couple of years to grab me, I guess.
2015 releases that I've bought:

Giraffes? Giraffes! EP
David Gilmour
Neal Morse (Grand Experiment and Morsefest)
Roger Waters rerelease
Steven Wilson
Zappa's Roxy the Movie

Other than that, I'm interested in the new Spock's Beard and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. But that's it actually, I've got a lot more 2014 releases.

[SoundscapeMN]

Here's my full list w/ some blurbing by the way
https://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2015/12/2014-2015-albums-countdown.html

The Pneumatic Transit
Gatherer
Mew
Subterranean Masquerade
Timbre
Everything Everything
The Dear Hunter
Foals
Vennart
Kaddisfly
Small Leaks Sink Ships