I'm a bit late this year as I've been busier than usual at the end of 2009; nevertheless, here is my choice for the best albums from last year! Again, this is purely based on my taste and experience of these albums, though I do try to justify every choice ;) As I had published 2008's top albums in December, a few of the 2008 late releases could not make it to that list. I included them here as if they were part of 2009. I decided to be a bit more elaborate this time, after seeing the great job…

Another year, another top 20! 2008 was an amazing year music-wise, and this is the first year where the top 3 albums could all have easily been number 1. Most of these albums are of such high quality, that had they been released in 2007, they would have been way more up in the list. It's also very sad that I had to make hard choices and not include some really good albums that would have been included last year.

Of course, it is again done accordingly to my taste and views of music, and isn't meant to be objective.…

Well, after several months of work, I am glad to reopen my website GermanMetal.com, under a new structure: a Wiki!

Some years ago, around 2002, I opened GermanMetal.com as a resource for international Rammstein fans to broaden their horizons and discover all the other great German bands! It was actually quite successful, but built in such a way that I had to do everything, and since the project was very ambitious, it needed more time than I could give, and died slowly. I tried many times to find ways to re-make it, but to no avail.

However, with the flexible…

On the 13th of November 2007, I had the great luck of interviewing Asp and Matze from the German band ASP. They gave an amazing stage performance, and whoever doesn't know much about them yet should check them out!

Here is the interview transcript, thanks a lot to the band for giving me so much of their time before the concert!

http://lh5.google.com/Noemi.Dreksler.Photography/Rzybms6679I/AAAAAAAAAEE/YkBdFtOMyV0/ASP_Requiembryo_LMH_13Nov_2007_cNoemiDreksler_010.jpg?imgmax=640

Joki: How did the band form, how did it all start?

ASP: When Matze and I met, we had both played in different bands, and we had a little pause without music. We recognized that we couldn't…

Here is my very own Top 20 from 2007. It is done accordingly to my personal taste, and isn't meant to be objective ;)

1. ASP - Requiembryo
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/asp-requiembryo.jpg

2. De/Vision - Noob
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/devision-noob.jpg

3. Samsas Traum - Heiliges Herz - Das Schwert Deiner Sonne
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/samsastraum-heiligesherz.jpg

4. Die Ärzte - Jazz Ist Anders
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/dae-jazzistanders.jpg

5. Samsas Traum - Wenn Schwarzer Regen
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/samsastraum-wennschwarzerregen.jpg

6. Staubkind - Zu Weit
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/staubkind-zuweit.jpg

7. Subway To Sally - Bastard
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/subwaytosally-bastard.jpg

8. Tocotronic - Kapitulation
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/tocotronic-kapitulation.jpg

9. Sportfreunde Stiller - La Bum
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/sportfreunde-labum.jpg

10. Letzte Instanz - Wir Sind Gold
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/letzteinstanz-wirsindgold.jpg

11. HIM - Venus Doom…

Yes, this journal entry is pretty pointless, but I guess I have a few minutes to waste at the moment. So the theme is: for every artist of my top 20, I list the first song I heard from them, the song that made me fall in love with them, and my current favourite. Pretty simple, eh? And since I'm so fancy, I'll be very daring, and will add a thing: favourite album!

01. Samsas Traum
First song: Hier Kommt Alex (Die Toten Hosen cover)
Song that made me fall in love: Thanathan Und Athanasia
Current favourite: Heiliges Herz…

Well, this one never gets old, and it's about time for a new one, don't you all think! :P

Step 1: Put your Winamp or equivalent on random.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 50 songs that play, not matter how embarassing.
Step 4: Strikethru the songs / artist when someone guesses correctly.
Step 5: Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!

01. Korppi musta kuolon airut
liitää pohjoiseen

02. I´ve walked the holy grounds of justice
For too long now, I assume

03. Troubled, Wildered And Forlorn
Dark Benighted, Travel-Worn

04.…

Yes, this is old, but I thought any time is pertinent to post my top 20 personal favourite albums of 2005. The albums remain as good as they were a few years after ;) Many musical genres, most can't really be categorized, but all of them impressed me in a particular way - some more than others, hence the positions ;)

1. Apoptygma Berzerk - You And Me Against The World
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/apoptygma-youandmeagainsttheworld.jpg

2. Coldplay - X&Y
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/coldplay-x&y.jpg

3. Farin Urlaub - Am Ende Der Sonne
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/farinurlaub-amende.jpg

4. The Rasmus - Hide From The Sun
http://www.germanmetal.com/images/top20/rasmus-hidefromthesun.jpg

5. In Extremo - Mein…

I had already posted some months ago (which I still kept updated), but I think it was a good time for a new one since I have now reached the 100th week! Moreover, my 100,000th track will probably be played pretty soon, maybe this week, so it's a good time to look back and keep a few interesting stats. So here is an overview of my weekly charts, taking only into account the artists who topped them at a time or another.

All-Time Weekly Charts Toppers
(% of the week's total plays)

Week 1: Samsas Traum (35%)
Week 2: Samsas…

"Records on Random" is an idea I got from a website I found randomly (that fits the topic, doesnt it? :P). Actually, people nowadays seem to use the "random" option of their players a lot, and not listen much to full albums anymore. But I love full albums, a good tracklist can be a piece of art in itself by the awesome transitions it can create, etc. So what about putting a whole CD in the playlist, but listening to its tracks in a random order? That can totally change a CD - for the better or the worse. I…