The Decibel Geek Top Albums of 2014 - Staff Picks

Well fellow Decibel Geeks it's that time of year again and as 2014 draws to a close the staff here at Decibel Geek Podcast have compiled their list of the top ten best albums that this year has produced.  With our staff having grown by quite a bit throughout 2014, we were able to welcome new writers from around the globe to the team.  The weekly podcast reached new highs in the iTunes podcast charts, expanding the audience through exciting and informative weekly episodes and entertaining special guests such as John Corabi, Dick Wagner, Paul Taylor, Gary Corbett, Todzilla, Luc Carl, Mike Tramp, Chuck Garric, Killer Dwarfs, Wallygator & The Meister, Brighton Rock.......and more.

2014 saw a whopping amount of strong releases issued in every sub genre and with the varied tastes and interests of our staff you can imagine our top ten is quite widespread.  Each of the staff submitted their personal top ten (each of which appears below) and the bands were assigned points depending on where they ranked in that particular list (1 point for #10 and 10 points for #1).  The points were then tallied up to provide the collective top ten from all of us here at Decibel Geek Podcast.  While we might not always agree on these things one thing's for sure: we all love music and  due to some of my colleagues picks, I personally, have been inspired to revisit some albums that did not make the cut for me as well as explore some new ones and we hope that we can turn you onto some of the great efforts of 2014, if you haven't been already.

Please support these bands and all of your favorite bands to keep the music alive and flowing, by clicking on the included links to purchase.  With some already exciting releases on the horizon for 2015, don't forget to check out our "New Release" section updated regularly and follow Decibel Geek on Social Media: iTunes / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Instagram

DECIBEL GEEK PODCAST'S COLLECTIVE TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2014:

(Click on the blue album name for Amazon.com purchase link)

10) Tesla - Simplicity 18pts
9) KXM - KXM 19pts / Winger - Better Days Comin' 19pts
8) Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter 22pts
7) Rated X - Rated X 23pts
6) Ace Frehley - Space Invader 24pts
5) Vega - Stereo Messiah 25pts
4) Primal Fear - Delivering the Black 27pts
3) Slash - World on Fire 31pts
2) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls 50pts
1) Accept - Blind Rage 52pts
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INDIVIDUAL STAFF'S TOP TEN PICKS:

Warren Money (Staff Writer...who was the first to submit his list)

10) Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways (1 point)
9) Winger - Better Days Comin' (2 points)
8) Diamond Lane - Terrorizer (3 points)
7) Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter (4 points)
6) Billy Idol - Kings & Queens of the Underground (5 points)
5) Mr. Big - ...The Stories We Could Tell (6 points)
4) Sammy Hagar - Lite Roast (7 points)
3) Judas Priest -Redeemer of Souls (8 points)
2) Ace Frehley - Space Invader (9 points)
1) Sixx A.M. - Modern Vintage (10 points)
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Bakko (Staff Writer)

10) Ace Frehley - Space Invader (1) - 10pts

9) Godsmack - 1000hp (2)
8) Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways (3) - 4pts
7) Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter (4) - 8pts
6) King Buzzo - This Machine Kills Artists (5)
5) Birds Of Satan - Birds of Satan (6)
4) American Dog - Neanderthal (7)
3) Orange Goblin - Back From the Abyss (8)
2) The Oddfathers - Double Live 45 (9)
1) Red Dragon Cartel - Red Dragon Cartel (10)
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Billy Hardaway (Staff Writer)

10) Winger - Better Days Comin' (1) - 3pts
9) Angels or Kings - Kings of Nowhere (2)
8) Lynch Mob - Sun Red Sun (3)
7) AC/DC - Rock or Bust (4)
6) Moonland - Moonland (5)
5) Tesla - Simplicity (6)
4) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls (7) 15pts
3) Work of Art - Framework (8)
2) Slash - World on Fire (9)
1) Vega - Stereo Messiah (10)
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The Meister (Staff Writer....who changed a few of his about a 100 times)

10) Mortician - Shout For Heavy Metal (1)
9) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls (2) 17pts
8) Ammotrack - Raise Your Hands (3)
7) House of Lords - Precious Metal (4)
6) Helix - Bastard of the Blues (5)
5) In Faith - There's A Storm Coming (6)
4) Battleaxe - Heavy Metal Sanctuary (7)
3) Accept - Blind Rage (8)
2) Sister Sin - Black Lotus (9)
1) Primal Fear - Delivering the Black (10)
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Derik Novak (Staff Writer & Twitter Guy....follow us: Twitter)

10) Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie (1)
9) Alice Cooper - Raise the Dead: Live From Wacken (2)
8) Crazy Lixx - Crazy Lixx (3)
7) Kix - Rock Your Face Off (4)
6) Red Zone Rider - Red Zone Rider (5)
5) Rated X - Rated X (6)
4) Krokus - Long Stick Goes Boom: Live From Da House of Rust (7)
3) Accept - Blind Rage (8) 16pts
2) Judas Priest -Redeemer of Souls  (9) 26pts
1) KXM - KXM (10)
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Andy Lafon (Staff Writer.....who can't follow simple directions and just had to go to 11!)

11) Sister Sin - Black Lotus (0pts...only need top ten albums)
10) Sinbreed - Shadows (1)
9) Sebastian Bach - Give 'Em Hell (2)
8) AC/DC - Rock or Bust  (3) 7pts
7) Overkill - White Devil Armory (4)
6) Tesla - Simplicity (5) 11pts
5) Night Ranger - High Road (6)
4) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls (7) 33pts
3) House of Lords - Precious Metal (8) 12pts
2) Accept - Blind Rage (9) 25pts
1) Riot V - Unleash the Fury (10)
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                                                                       David Alpizar (Staff Writer)
10) Red Zone Rider - Red Zone Rider (1) 6pts
9) X-Drive - Get Your Rock On (2)
8) Night Ranger - High Road (3) 9pts
7) Whitesnake - Live in '84: Back to the Bone (4)
6) Kobra & The Lotus - High Priestess (5)
5) Ace Frehley - Space Invader (6) 16pts
4) Tesla - Simplicity (7) 18pts
3) Rated X - Rated X (8) 14pts
2) Mike Tramp - Museum (9)
1) Winger - Better Days Comin' (10) 13pts

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The Lionsheart (Staff Writer....who has a crystal ball and included a 2015 release!)

10) Nightmare - The Aftermath (1)
9) 220 Volt - Walking in Starlight (2)
8) Helix - Bastard of the Blues (3) 8pts
7) Axxis - Kingdom of the Night II: White Edition (4)
6) Brother Firetribe - Diamond in the Firepit (5)
5) China - We Are the Stars (6)
4) Primal Fear - Delivering the Black (7) 17pts
3) The Storyteller - Sacred Fire (0pts....2015 release!)
2) Magnum - Escape From the Shadow Garden (9)
1) Accept - Blind Rage (10) 35pts
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Metal Mike (The Instagram Guy....follow us: Instagram)

10) Sixx A.M. - Modern Vintage (1) 11pts
9) Down - Down IV: Part II (2)
8) Sebastian Bach - Give 'Em Hell (3) 5pts
7) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls (4) 37pts
6) Lynch Mob - Sun Red Sun (5) 8pts
5) Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter (6) 14pts
4) Kyng - Burn the Serum (7)
3) Slash - World on Fire (8) 17pts
2) KXM - KXM (9) 19pts
1) Crobot - Something Supernatural (10)
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B.J. Kahuna (Staff Writer)

10) Cloud Nothings - Here & Nowhere Else (1)
9) Bob Mould - Beauty & Ruin (2)
8) The New Mendicants - Into the Lime (3)
7) Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World (4)
6) Accept - Blind Rage (5) 40pts
5) New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers (6)
4) Slash - World on Fire (7) 24pts
3) Steve Conte - NYC (8)
2) King Tuff - Black Moon Spell (9)
1) Heavy Tiger - Saigon Kiss (10)
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Kate Campbell (Staff Writer...who has gone back in time to include two 2013 releases!)

10) Devil Driver - Winter Kills (0pts....2013 release date)
9) Starset - Transmissions (2)
8) Lacuna Coil - Broken Crown Halo (3)
7) Islander - Violence & Destruction (4)
6) Ethan Brosh - Live the Dream (5)
5) Killer Dwarfs - Start @ One (0pts....2013 release date)
4) Linkin Park - The Hunting Party (7)
3) Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter (8) 22pts
2) New Medicine - Breaking the Model (9)
1) In This Moment - Black Widow (10)
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Brian Ronald (Staff Photographer....another wiseguy with a crystal ball and a 2015 release!)

10) Riot V - Unleash the Fury (1) 11pts
9) Kix - Rock Your Face Off (2) 6pts
8) Houston - Relaunch II (3)
7) DragonForce - Maximum Overload (4)
6) Silver - Idolized (0pts....2015 release) (I stand corrected-CD in      2015 / MP3 released in 2014)
5) Miss Behaviour - Double Agent (6)
4) Vega - Stereo Messiah (7) 17pts
3) Night By Night - NXN (8)
2) Seether - Isolate & Medicate (9)
1) Primal Fear - Delivering the Black (10) 27pts
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Wallygator (Staff Writer)

10) Kix - Rock Your Face Off (1) 7pts
9) Sebastian Bach - Give 'Em Hell (2) 7pts
8) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls (3) 40pts
7) Sixx A.M. - Modern Vintage (4) 15pts
6) Helix - Bastard of the Blues (5) 13pts
5) Winger - Better Days Comin' (6) 19pts
4) Accept - Blind Rage (7) 47pts
3) Ace Frehley - Space Invader (8) 24pts
2) Steve Conte - NYC (9) 17pts
1) AC/DC - Rock or Bust (10) 17pts
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Brian Boyle (Staff Writer)

10) AC/DC - Rock or Bust (1) 18pts
9) Devilstrip - Rise (2)
8) Mr. Big - ...The Stories We Could Tell (3) 9pts
7) Black State Highway - Black State Highway (6)
6) Accept - Blind Rage (5) 52pts
5) Kix - Rock Your Face Off (6) 13pts
4) Slash - World on Fire (7) 31pts
3) Vega - Stereo Messiah (8) 25pts
2) Rated X - Rated X (9) 23pts
1) Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls (10) 50pts
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SOME OTHER TOP PICKS FROM OUR READER & LISTENERS:

Edguy - Space Police / Steel Panther - All You Can Eat / Sonata Arctica - Pariah's Child / California Breed - California Breed / Sabaton - Heroes / Hammerfall - (R)Evolution / Headstones - One In the Chamber Music / Gotthard - Bang / Iced Earth - Plagues of Babylon / Bloodbound - Stormborn / Bigelf - Into the Maelstrom / At the Gates - At War With Reality / Machinehead - Bloodstone & Diamonds / Shaman's Harvest - Smokin' Hearts & Broken Guns / Cripper - Hyena \ Grave Digger - Return of the Reaper / High Spirits - You Are Here / Slough Feg - Digital Resistance / Drone - Drone / Schandmaul - Unendlich / Devin Townsend - Z2 / Weezer - Everything Will Be Alright in the End / NEEDTOBREATHE - Rivers in the Wasteland / Opeth - Pale Communion / Gamma Ray - Empire of the Undead / Freedom Call - Beyond / Black Stone Cherry - Magic Mountain
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With the releases already announced for 2015, we say bring it on!  Check out some of the list: "New Release"
Cheers from all of us here at The Decibel Geek Podcast!

Review: Lite Roast - Sammy Hagar & Vic Johnson (2014)

Coffee. Most of us, if not all of us, drink it. There's no better way than spending a nice relaxing Sunday morning than with a cool breeze, some music playing and enjoying a fresh cup-o-joe. If this is the perfect scenario for you, grab yourself a copy of Sammy Hagar and Vic Johnson's new album Lite Roast.

An acoustic retrospective spanning the years he was in Van Halen then to his post-VH Solo Career and his work with The Waboritos the songs here are stripped back to their core. For most of the album this is a fantastic way to hear these classic hits and deep cuts and  unless you are a true believer, a few of these songs will be brand new. According to Sammy, “It was just me and Vic live in the studio with no overdubs. Just two guitars, sometimes one guitar, sometimes just one voice, sometimes two voices.”

Love him or just like him, Sammy Hagar knows what he is doing. Whether the world is ready for it or not, it doesn't matter. He knows how to make relaxation into an art-form.

Starting from the top - here is the tracklist:

1. Red Voodoo - (with Andre Thierry on Accordion)

Kicking it off with the title track from the album of the same name, Red Voodoo sounds pretty much the same as it did the first time around, but this time without the help of the rest of the Warboritos. An uptempo song, this rocker is a great way to get off on the right foot.

2. One Sip

Spending a lot of time in Mexico has influenced not only Sammy's suntan but also his musical palate. Sounding like a later-day Jimmy Buffett with a dash of Dean Martin, the song eases into a groove and sticks in your head - but in a good way.

3. Finish What Ya Started

In 1988 I was given two CD's for Christmas. I still have one of them - Van Halen's OU812. To say I was listening with a biased ear would be fair. Without Eddie Van Halen this song never really gets off the ground - in any version. Here they abandon the lead riff in favour of bashing out a few chords and a couple of harmonies. Not great.

4. Eagles Fly

Or Toilet Break time as it is sometimes referred to, is a step in a better direction. Featuring all of the things that make this song a stand out acoustically, it always seemed to come off a little flat on the Van Halen - "Live: Right Here, Right Now" concert DVD. Here the song soars and lifts the mood of the album.

5. The Love

Perfect for the acoustic treatment, The Love has a killer riff and Vic Johnson plays it perfectly. Not a note out of step, the song shines and so does he.

6. Father Sun

Arguably the stand out track on 2013's Sammy Hagar & Friends, Father Sun is an ode to the big old ball in the sky. Coming off a little hippie, the song packs a mean punch and while I'm still not sold on the line about solar power, I love this song and what they've done here.

7. Dreams

Now the biggie. Is it as good as the original? No. Is it as good as the Live: Hallelujah CD? Well there's less waffle but no. Is it perfectly suited to this album? YES. I got the goosebumps when I heard this version for the first time. Sure the vocal melody is down an octave but do I care? Nope. For the first time in a long time I actually listened and HEARD what it was Sammy was saying in this song. Beautiful.

8. Deeper Kinda Love

The first time I ever heard this song I pressed skip about 10 seconds in. Then one night I heard it on shuffle on my iPod and I started to get into it. Now it's a must listen. It grows on you and it's a song that feels like it's always moving. Great version.

9. Who Has The Right?

A political song, Who Has The Right? still resonates it's themes today just as it did in 1997. Dealing with a lot of unpopular social issues and self reflection, this song finally has the ability to shine. The last few deliveries of the chorus sent shivers up my spine.

10. Sailin'

Laid back and easy is the best way to put it when talking about this song. It's a mellow tune that sounds about the same as the original does.

11. Halfway to Memphis (with Andre Thierry on Accordion)

This is probably the 5th time Sammy has recorded this song. Stripping it back has done wonders for this tune. It's a song he should be proud of but I think he can stop here. It's a definitive version. If he records it again it'll go down as the Rock and Roll All Nite of his career (an albatross).

If you like your music just a little mellow with a little funk, a lot of soul and a hint of blues, then seriously consider giving this a spin. It's not all wine and roses, the vocal ad-libs are getting a little long in the tooth and the whole album would have benefited from a shaker or two.

On the whole it's a great way to kick back and relax. Just don't forget the coffee, lite roast of course.

Get it here:

AMAZON

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