When it came down to the wire, we just didn't have enough space to feature all of our friends fantastic words for the TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2011 feature in the December issue of Vegas Rocks! Magazine. The one thing I couldn't do is keep these great reviews from some of your favorite artists in the vault! So, while Corky Gainsford, who just so happens to pound the skins for Vegas' OTHERWISE, got his picks in the issue....HERE is Corky's expanded version! Enjoy Wise Onez!
1) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light - Foo Fighters rolled over the competition and left them to waste with this album, crushing all doubters in their path. The analog recording techniques used to make this gave it a unique sound, and set this band apart from everything else I heard all year.
2) Five Finger Death Punch - American Capitalist - This album is pure heavy metal hip hop, with a mix that pushes the vocals and drums on top of the furious metal that lies underneath. The production of Kevin Churko (with help from his son Kane) is crisp, clean, and top notch. The songs hit you straight in the skull, and the drums are unrelenting throughout. If you're a drummer and want a lesson in double-kick technique, try playing along to this one...
3) Steel Panther - Balls Out - We play a monthly show with these guys at Green Valley Ranch, and their show is always over the top. See them for free while you can people, because they won't be playing free shows for long... Since their on-stage banter/improvisation/comedy is often their main selling point, their top notch musicianship is often overlooked. What a shame. This album shows how much they really kick ass. Hear The Panther roar.
4) Falling In Reverse - The Drug In Me Is You - Ronnie Radke is back with a vengeance. I've never met the guy, but I'm glad he didn't waste his time in jail pouting and feeling sorry for himself. He came out swinging when he returned with this album.
5) Mack - Pay To Play - Some friends of mine recorded this album in an incredibly lo-fi studio, but the musicianship and power still shines through in these songs. If you want some KISS-influenced rock to roll through your soul, this album may do the trick.
Honorable Mention) James Durbin - Memories of a Beautiful Disaster - I just got this album a few days ago, and it blew me away. James was "the rock/metal guy" on the most recent season of American Idol, and he can sing his ass off. His record label pulled together a myriad of crafty song-writers for this album, and it shows. The songs are top-notch, James sings like a champ, and the production is killer. Get it.
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