MANSLAUGHTER's TREASURE BOX 2014.

Hey folks, finally, finally, yes, finally and really here it comes, my review on or retrospection of 2014. Three to four weeks (or so) later than I primarly planned to finally come up with it, hm, but still pretty good in time - compared with the fact the reviews on 2011 and 2012 came up back then by far later and it's even anyhow anyway better compared with the fact the I've never done a review on 2013, so you see, still a pretty good job anyhow, righty right. If you ask yourself why the delay came to happen, hm, okay, for sure work is very busy, beside this I have a girfriend, I have a family, I have my dogs, I have my sports, I have my friends, I have a social and an active life and bla-bla-bla... because for sure I could come up with all that, pfff, but fuck it, I'm currently just not in the mood for blogging, don't feel the lust for doing it, don't find the motivation to do new posts up here currently, and I also even can't bring up the motivation just to search for the motivation for blogging, yes that's it. After the last pretty active months up here, especially the December of 2014, I'm currently a little bit empty and so for now I'm taking sort of a time-off from blogging. Okay, after this words for the introduction it's time to finally do for what I am now online and do some blogging finally again, and this means now here it comes my review on or retrospection of 2014 and this year I will solely focuss on giving you my favorite releases of this very year of 2014 and due to the fact that 2014 was music-wise a really fantastic year I extended my more or less traditional top ten list to a top fifteen list, hm, and as usual after I've already done reviews on all of the records and albums you will find in this list I won't waste anymore time here and now and just name you the albums. Okay, that's it, so here it comes, let us open and have a look inside "MANSLAUGHTER's TREASURE BOX 2014", yes, so here we go...

MANSLAUGHTER's TOP 2014 ALBUMS*

(*Eternia approved)

The top three:

If you read this blog only a little bit regular and/or frequently than to you my top three albums will be no strangers and no surprises anymore, but this takes nothing away from this pure platinum albums.

No. # 1 - My ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!!

CRUCIAL CHANGE - "SO IT BEGINS" & "MOURNING IN AMERICA"

Tracklist "SO IT BEGINS":

(01.) "SO IT BEGINS"

(02.) "LAND OF MY FATHERS"

(03.) "INTO THE FIRE"

(04.) "AMERICAN HEART"

(05.) "OUR STAKE"

(06.) "THE WANDERER"

(07.) "PUNISHMENT"

(08.) "LEGION 33"

(09.) "YOUTH"

(10.) "RIGHTEOUS HAND"

Tracklist "MOURNING IN AMERICA":

(01.) "MOURNING IN AMERICA"

(02.) "THIS FORCE"

(03.) "WHO LAUGHS LAST?"

A totally unique and outstanding album, total supreme and dominant American Oi! majesty leading, conquering, and dominating totally unrivaled. A fantastic album, simply an album that you need to have, period.

And after the "MOURNING IN AMERICA" EP release is featured as a bonus on the CD release version of "SO IT BEGINS" you find here both albums ranked on the very first place.
Yes. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

No. # 2 - The legend's statement!!!

SICK OF IT ALL - "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE"

Tracklist:

(01.) "SOUND THE ALARM"

(02.) "2061"

(03.) "ROAD LESS TRAVELLED"

(04.) "GET BRONX"

(05.) "PART OF HISTORY"

(06.) "LOSING WAR"

(07.) "NEVER BACK DOWN"

(08.) "FACING THE ABYSS"

(09.) "ACT YOUR RAGE"

(10.) "DISCONNECT YOUR FLESH"

(11.) "BELTWAY GETAWAY"

(12.) "SIDELINED"

(13.) "OUTGUNNED"

(14.) "DNC"

(15.) "STAND DOWN" (Bonus track limited edition.)

(16.) "WITH ALL DISRESPECT" (Bonus track limited edition.)

I love this band, they and their albums and music are a very important part of my life for now over twenty years, longer lasting than relations and friendships, yes, and as far as this says a lot about the importance of this band and their music it's also very simple: This album is a pure groundshaking larger than life might. That's it, short and precise. And it's, again, very simple: You need to have this album. Point and fact.
HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

No. # 3 - The BOSS returns, in all his glory, with all his might!!!

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "HIGH HOPES"

Tracklist:

(01.) "HIGH HOPES"

(02.) "HARRY'S PLACE"

(03.) "AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS)"

(04.) "JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD"

(05.) "DOWN IN THE HOLE"

(06.) "HEAVEN'S WALL"

(07.) "FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE"

(08.) "THIS IS YOUR SWORD"

(09.) "HUNTER OF INVISIBLE GAME"

(10.) "THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD"

(11.) "THE WALL"

(12.) "DREAM BABY DREAM"

The BOSS returned in 2014 and delivered again some of the most unique and very best and most intense and most passionate music on a as close to perfect level of quality as only somehow possible. No more words needed, everyone into honest, authentic, spirited, and real rockin' music with heart, soul, and mind simply needs to have it.

The runner-ups, the ranks four to six:

Here are the three bands that conquered the next three ranks, and now three incredible strong albums waiting for you, also big surprises or maybe better not really expected deliveries as well.

No. # 4 - A big disturbing and ripping, sick and pissed off surprise.

SLIPKNOT - ".5: THE GRAY CHAPTER"

Tracklist:

(01.) "XIX"

(02.) "SARCASTROPHE"

(03.) "AOV"

(04.) "THE DEVIL IN I"

(05.) "KILLPOP"

(06.) "SKEPTIC"

(07.) "LECH"

(08.) "GOODBYE"

(09.) "NOMADIC"

(10.) "THE ONE THAT KILLS THE LEAST"

(11.) "CUSTER"

(12.) "BE PREPARED FOR HELL"

(13.) "THE NEGATIVE ONE"

(14.) "IF RAIN IS WAHT YOU WANT"

I would have never expected such a through and through mass destructive bomb being delivered by SLIPKNOT, but I am damn happy and glad that they did and this, to say it short, one hell of an unique stand-alone album I can only recommend to you and in the case of SLIPKNOT you better believe the ongoing hype. I fuckin' love this album, it's one hell of an intense ride.

No. # 5 - The Silverbacks are back on the map.

SLAPSHOT - "SLAPSHOT"

Tracklist:

(01.) "INTRO"

(02.) "I TOLD YOU SO"

(03.) "GO HARD"

(04.) "KILL IT WITH FIRE"

(05.) "UNTIL IT'S GONE"

(06.) "FUCK IT"

(07.) "SOFT"

(08.) "NOTHING AT ALL"

(09.) "LOW LIFE"

(10.) "FREEZER BURN"

(11.) "YOU'RE ON MY LIST"

(12.) "ONE AND DONE"

(13.) "BLOOD ON THE FLOOR"

(14.) "NEVER TRUST A JUNKIE"

(15.) "PERSONAL JESUS" (DEPECHE MODE - cover)

(16.) "OUTRO"

Short and simple in just three words: 1.) SLAPSHOT. 2.) Unique. 3.) Groundbreaking. 

HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

No. # 6 - The Brothers are back.

KRAWALLBRÜDER - "SCHMERZFREI"

Tracklist:

(01.) "I.IV. R.I.P. XXXIII"

(02.) "WAS LANGE WÄHRT"

(03.) "BLUT UND TINTE"

(04.) "AUF EIN WORT"

(05.) "NUR FÜR DICH"

(06.) "WEG VON EUCH"

(07.) "SCHMERZFREI"

(08.) "6 FUSS BREIT"

(09.) "WIE DIE TIERE"

(10.) "NIE EIN ENDE SEHN"

I definitely would never ever have expected the KRAWALLBRÜDER to come up with such a fantastic and incredible strong album, it's by far their best material to date and they totally made themselves to one of the strongest german bands somewhere between Oi!, Metal, and (Hard) Rock and I can simply only recommend this great gem again and again. It's fantastic. Cheers & Oi!

The next battle line of champions, the places seven to nine:

The next three piece of amazing bands and albums that totally conquered in 2014 are already waiting in the pipeline for you and be prepeared for some really big stuff aimed at ya.

No. # 7 - The return of the Metal Gods.

JUDAS PRIEST - "REDEEMER OF SOULS"

Tracklist:

(01.) "DRAGONAUT"

(02.) "REDEEMER OF SOULS"

(03.) "HALLS OF VALHALLA"

(04.) "SWORD OF DAMOCLES"

(05.) "MARCH OF THE DAMNED"

(06.) "DOWN IN FLAMES"

(07.) "HELL & BACK"

(08.) "COLD BLOODED"

(09.) "METALIZER"

(10.) "CROSSFIRE"

(11.) "SECRETS OF THE DEAD"

(12.) "BATTLE CRY"

(13.) "BEGINNING OF THE END"

Tracklist Bonus Disc Limited Edition:

(01.) "SNAKEBITE"

(02.) "TEARS OF BLOOD"

(03.) "CREATURES"

(04.) "BRING IT ON"

(05.) "NEVER FORGET"

A pretty controversial album discussed heavily by "true" Metalheads, so it seems, but thank the goods that I am not a "true" Metalhead or anything like this and so I care about anything but not what any sort of scene taste police thinks have to say and so I can simply and calmly enjoy enthusiastically a damn fantastic album delivered by a lifechanging band that I would have never ever expected to come, and if this should be really the farewell album of JUDAS PRIEST than they go with class and walk away with their honour intact. A fantastic album that you need to call your own.

No. # 8 - For those about to ROCK!!!

AC/DC - "ROCK OR BUST"

Tracklist:

(01.) "ROCK OR BUST"

(02.) "PLAY BALL"

(03.) "ROCK THE BLUES AWAY"

(04.) "MISS ADVENTURE"

(05.) "DOGS OF WAR"

(06.) "GOT SOME ROCK AND ROLL THUNDER"

(07.) "HARD TIMES"

(08.) "BAPTISM BY FIRE"

(09.) "ROCK THE HOUSE"

(10.) "SWEET CANDY"

(11.) "EMISSION CONTROL"

Already a real classic, and the by far strongest material since (over) two decades, since "THE RAZOR'S EDGE" and a real statement of this veterans.

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK, I SALUTE YOU!!!

No. # 9 - My Oxblood Stell Toes will get it right.

MURDERER'S ROW - "LIBERTY DENIED WORKING CLASS CRUCIFIED"

Tracklist:

(01.) "LIBERTY DENIED"

(02.) "LOOKIN' FOR AGGRO"

(03.) "WHITE COLLAR CRIME"

(04.) "OUR STRUGGLE"

(05.) "ALLEYWAY"

(06.) "SLUM NATION"

(07.) "FACTS OF LIFE"

(08.) "OXBLOOD STEEL TOES"

(09.) "WHEN THE DAY COMES"

(10.) "GIVE THE PAIN"

Incredible strong and mighty pure mayhem American Oi! Oi! Oi! Rock & Roll that rules supreme, and the definite best material delivered by this band so far - and this after they already also in the past never dissapointed me. This shit rules.

Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

Killers everywhere, the ranks ten to twelve:

Here it comes, the next three-piece of albums that I consider to be nothing but must-have releases that saw the light of day first in 2014.

No. # 10 - The Reaper's Return.

GRAVE DIGGER - "RETURN OF THE REAPER"

Tracklist:
(01.) "RETURN OF THE REAPER"

(02.) "HELL FUNERAL"

(03.) "WAR GOD"

(04.) "TATTOOED RIDER"

(05.) "RESURRECTION DAY"

(06.) "SEASON OF THE WITCH"

(07.) "ROAD RAGE KILLER"

(08.) "GRAVE DESECRATOR"

(09.) "SATAN'S HOST"

(10.) "DIA DE LOS MUERTOS"

(11.) "DEATH SMILES AT ALL OF US"

(12.) "NOTHING TO BELIEVE"

Tracklist Bonus Disc Limited Edition:

(01.) "THE EMPERORS DEATH" (New Bonus Song)

(02.) "REBEL OF DAMNATION" (New Bonus Song)

+ Live acoustic set:

(03.) "THE ROUND TABLE"

(04.) "THE DARK OF THE SUN"

(05.) "THE CURSE OF JAQUES"

(06.) "THE BALLAD OF MARY"

(07.) "THE LAST SUPPER"

(08.) "YESTERDAY"

(09.) "REBELLION"

(10.) "HEAVY METAL BREAKDOWN"

I'll make it short this time: Incredible strong Teutonic Heavy Metal, and also a really huge surprise, the best GRAVE DIGGER album since sort of two decades or so and just one hell of a ride.

No. # 11 - HARDCORE (still) lives!!!

MADBALL - "HARDCORE LIVES"

Tracklist:

(01.) "INTRO"

(02.) "HARDCORE LIVES"

(03.) "THE BALANCE"

(04.) "DOC. MARTEN STOMP"

(05.) "DNA"

(06.) "TRUE SCHOOL"

(07.) "THE HERE AND NOW"

(08.) "NOTHING TO ME"

(09.) "MY ARMOR"

(10.) "BEACON OF LIGHT"

(11.) "BORN STRONG"

(12.) "SPIRIT"

(13.) "MI PALABRA"

(14.) "NBNC"

(15.) "FOR THE JUDGED"

Bonus tracks limited edition:

(16.) "THE BEAST"

(17.) "SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE 2014"

Born strong right from the start, still delivering Doc. Marten stomps, it's in my DNA, this is the true school, you mean nothing to me and I belong to the here and now, I am the beast - and I will always spit on your grave.  

Hardcore still lives.

No. # 12 - London raised Holy Terror Hardcore V2.0.

DEAD MAN'S CHEST - "NEGATIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE"

Tracklist:

(01.) "HATELINE"

(02.) "KISS THE GROUND"

(03.) "WEIGHT OF DISRESPECT"

(04.) "LEFT ALONE"

(05.) "BRINGING IT BACK" (INTEGRITY-cover)

A breath-taking development, and we all should have an eye on with what this London Maniacs will come up next. Impressive statement of an album. You need to have it.

HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

The final round, the ranks thirteen to fifteen:

The three final albums of 2014 that I consider to be must have releases, and so here we go for the final round of the best of the best of 2014.

No. # 13 - A journey through the empire of ghosts...

CALIBAN - "GHOST EMPIRE"

Tracklist:

(01.) "KING"

(02.) "CHAOS - CREATION"

(03.) "WOLVES AND RATS"

(04.) "NEBEL"

(05.) "I AM GHOST"

(06.) "DEVIL'S NIGHT"

(07.) "YOUR SONG"

(08.) "CRIES AND WHISPERS"

(09.) "GOOD MAN"

(10.) "I AM REBELLION"

(11.) "WHO WE ARE"

(12.) "MY VERTIGO"

Total killer and personally for me one of the biggest surprises in/for 2014. Awesome stuff!!!

No.# 14 - Now that's how I want "my" comebacks...!!!

RYKER'S - "HARD TO THE CORE"

Tracklist:

(01.) "THE WORLD AS I SEE IT TODAY"

(02.) "HARD TO THE CORE"

(03.) "CAN'T KILL A DREAM"

(04.) "TIME HEALS..."

(05.) "DIVIDED BY COLOURS"

(06.) "BORN TO FLY"

(07.) "SLAVE CRUEL WORLD"

(08.) "WORLD WIDE TRAP"

(09.) "..."

The RYKERS, the German and in general European Hardcore Silverbacks finally made their return after fourteen years of (more or less) silence, and from my point of view they did it right. A fucking damn great (and greater) album that you should call your own as a Hardcore Roughneck, and, of course, welcome back guys.

HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

No. # 15 - The closing chapter.

UNEARTH - "WATCHERS OF RULE"

Tracklist:

(01.) "INTRO"

(02.) "THE SWARM"

(03.) "LIFETIME IN RUINS"

(04.) "FROM THE TOMBS OF FIVE BELOW"

(05.) "NEVER CEASE"

(06.) "TRAIL TO FIRE"

(07.) "TO THE GROUND"

(08.) "BURIAL LINES"

(09.) "BIRTH OF A LEGION"

(10.) "WATCHERS OF RULE"

A true masterpiece of an album, and this is the pure platinum essence of what Metalcore or Deathcore or maybe modern, progressive/technical challenging Metal in 2014/2015 and beyond should be all about: pure musical greatness (cultivated with first class premium lyrics). Highly recommended, UNEARTH are definitely back. Definitely!!!

Now that was 2014... more or less...

Okay folks, now that's it, that was my top ten, nah, my top fifteen list 2014 a.k.a. "MANSLAUGHTER's TREASURE BOX 2014", and all the fifteen chosen pearls you find in this list are high recommendations, so much should be clear, and now, before this post will finally coming to its closing lines I just give you a very short overview of other 2014 highlights that maybe didn't make it into my top fifteen list but that you should at least check out if not better get promptly also anyhow anyway soon, and so here's my very short overview of (only some/few) other high class 2014 releases, so check them out.

Maybe the best of the rest...

This albums now I will just name you in the form of a alphabetical organized list, without giving you the tracklist or writing (short) comments about them, just name them so that you know about them - and you know already that I really recommend this albums to you. 

If you want any further or deeper informations about them, like also in case of the top fifteen albums introduced or presented to you above, then just browse through the record reviews of 2014 or through the band name labels of the bands and albums you're interested in up here on this blog and read my original review articles on them that I did back then in 2014 over the distance of the whole year. 

And so now here we go, the closing lines of this post and finally also of 2014...

Make sure to check this gems out as well...

ACCEPT - "BLIND RAGE"

BORN FROM PAIN - "DANCE WITH THE DEVIL"

METAL INQUISITOR - "ULTIMA RATIO REGIS"

PLATZVERWEIS - "BIS DER VORHANG FÄLLT..."

SAVAGE MESSIAH - "THE FATEFUL DARK"

TRIBÜNAL - "HELPLESS"

Thanks for your time and interest.

And a very big THX in general to you the readers of this blog for keeping this going with your support, and also a veryTHX to all the bands, artists, and labels who send me their stuff for reviewing and promoting it. THX a lot guys.

And now that was 2014... really.