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Roadrunner Records TOP 10 of 2008

Mike Gitter, Sr. Director of A&R

  1. Opeth-Watershed
    Yes, I'm aware that I A&R'd this one and I never list records with my name on 'em. "Watershed" is an exception. Akerfeldt remains rock's most astute librarian; The history of rock (Zep to Morbid) in seven songs. Transcendent.
  2. Nachtmystium-Assassins
    Along with the likes of Deathspell Omega and Negura Bungket, this is where black metal bends and breaks. Imagine if Syd Barrett chilled in Norway for a while. Psychedelic. Atmospheric. Vicious.
  3. Storm Warrior-Heading Norte
    Close as you can come to a perfect metal record. Early Metallica energy channelled into the riffs and melodies that these Krauts learned from the likes of Helloween and Hammerfall.
  4. Septic Flesh-Communion
    If nothing else, 2008 was the year where extreme music took and extreme left turn. After a few years off, these Greek deathmetallers came back with a record replete with an 80 piece orchestra ad 32 member choir, wildly varying vocals and a love of Lovecraft -- of H.P.,s variety -- that makes this a future classic.
  5. Duffy-Rockferry
    Is this what they call "Northern Soul"? Is this the best Dusty Springfield record this decade? I'd say so.
  6. Amon Amarth-Twilight of the Thunder God/Eluveitie-Slania (tie)
    Two sides of the Pagan/Folk/Viking universe. Amon Amarth keep their standard of bulldozing longboat paddling death metal high. With Johan Hegg leading the chants at the Great Hall of Feasting, you can't help pumping fists - hard. Eluveitie is a bit more subtle and a ton on the folkier side already proving themselves the most explosive live band of the pack with an axe-sharpening melding of near metalcore riffs and old-country intents.
  7. Alkaline Trio-Agony & Irony/Gaslight Anthem-59 Sound (tie)
    The two best quasi punk records this year. Skiba & Co. continue their fascination with morbid pop-punk while Gaslight make a serious bid to amp up The Boss -- that's Springsteen kiddies!
  8. Bring Me The Horizon-Suicide Season
    Surprising move from deathcore inadequacy for these pretty boy Brits. Noise. Filth. Fury. Smarts. Punk's not dead -- it just got a whole bunch heavier.
  9. Norther-N
    Running neck and neck with Children of Bodom for Finnish guitar supremacy. This one takes the edge. A clearing house for the Helsinki United including members of Wintersun and Ensifernum, "N" sharpens the cutting edge of this squad's songwriting chops.
  10. Testament-Formation of Damnation
    Once hailed as "The Next Metallica", these Bay Area bruisers just keep outdoing themselves. I'll put Eric Petersen's riffing on this one against anything on "Death Magnetic". Don't call it a comeback.-- now with Alex Skolnick back in the fold . Call it the masters returned to take a smidgen of what's due them.
  11. Honorable Mentions
    Abigail Williams-In The Shadow of a Thousand Suns, Alestorm-Captain Morgan's Revenge, All That Remains-Overcome, The Clash-Live at Shea Stadium, Cynic-Traced In The Air, Disfear-Live The Storm, Enslaved-Vertebrae, The Faceless-Planetary Duality, Grand Magus-Iron Will, Kingdom of Sorrow-Kingdom of Sorrow, Leviathan-Massive Conspiracy Against All Life,Lurker of Chalice, Satyricon-The Age of Nero, Slipknot-All Hope Is Gone, Unleashed-Hammer Battalion

    And of course, the lucky ladies and gents in Cradle of Filth, Dragonforce and Within Temptation -- all of whom have had the pleasure of my working company.

    Other Shit:

    Comics: The Boys-Garth Ennis, The Chronicles of Wormwood-Ennis again! (so Black Jesus and The Antichrist go into a bar...)Captain America-Ed Brubaker (kill off Cap and you get the best shit since the Kirby days!) and yeah, I realize I'm late on this one but Death Note-Tsugumi Ohba

    Movies: The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Mongol, The Orphanage

    TV: Battlestar Galactica, True Blood

    Books: Radio Silence: A Selected Visual History of American Hardcore Music by Anthony Pappalardo and Nathan Nedorostek, True Norweigan Black Metal by Peter Beste

Posted by mr suecof on 1/6/2009 @ 4:29:53 PM
you need to write another book
Posted by Rob on 1/6/2009 @ 7:26:33 PM
Huge Ennis fan. Huge Battlestar Galactica fan. Dark Knight was awesome. Your only missing Shinedown on your list.
Posted by eviL on 1/6/2009 @ 8:54:32 PM
good choices

especially on Septic Flesh . Communion is a f classic . Hail to Greek Metal!
Posted by eviL on 1/6/2009 @ 8:54:42 PM
good choices

especially on Septic Flesh . Communion is a f classic . Hail to Greek Metal!
Posted by Vanessa Bond on 1/7/2009 @ 3:05:54 AM
Duffy! The first time I heard her I immediately thought of Dusty Springfield. Lovely debut album.
Posted by mufuka on 1/7/2009 @ 10:30:34 AM
Great call on Nachtmystium (and in mentioning Deathspell and Negura), that album still surprises me despite what seems like everyone's opinion that they've sold out. Duffy also really grew on me, possibly more classic that Amy Winehouse's Back To Black. And nic emention of The Clash @ Shea. When I heard that, I was floored and wished so badly that I could've witnessed a live set like that.
Posted by Omar on 1/7/2009 @ 11:43:54 AM
Whoa, wasn't expecting a list like this?
Amon Amarth?
Alestorm?
Norther?
ELUVEITIE?
You sir have good taste.
Posted by Zakk Wylde on 1/8/2009 @ 4:04:34 PM
Love your package Mr. Gitter. What happened to you? Did you shrink as you got older?
Posted by Angela on 1/8/2009 @ 5:53:53 PM
You look like fucking Fred Savage in this picture.
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