2002 inevitably brings with it the dramatic aftermath of September 11, as evidenced by the records of WASP, Manowar and Bruce Springsteen, all while the Dream Theater, strengthened by a renewed commercial success, release their first double album, in my opinion one of their best, and Pain Of Salvation consecrate themselves with the sublime "Remedy Lane". And if DIO carries on the epic/dark discourse with the excellent "Killing the Dragon", Blind Guardian release what for many, myself included, will be considered the last great album of the German band, a record that shows to come out of the classics canons of the group embracing greater complexity. Tobias Sammet carries on his Avantasia project with a second, fascinating chapter and the Rhapsody closes the Emerald Sword Saga with an almost perfect job.
On the extreme front, Dark Tranquility reappear with a nice compact and rocky work while In Flames show the first signs of detachment from Swedish death metal. Absolute success for Lacuna Coil and tearful albums while Opeth delivered the superb "Deliverance" and Tankard, seem to have returned to the glories of the best days with their anniversary album "B-Day". We welcome the return of Rush with the modern, yet great, "Vapor Trails" as well as the self-titled debut of Audioslave. And if Moby confirms its state of grace with "18" and the same goes for Pearl Jam and Porcupine Tree. Queen of The Stone Age release one of the best rock records of the new millennium, a new and precious classic.
Yours truly in the meantime was moving his steps in the world of metal for two years already and many of these works he bought them on day one.
BY ENRICO SPINELLI
DREAM THEATER Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
PAIN OF SALVATION Remedy Lane
DIO Killing The Dragon
BLIND GUARDIAN A Night at the Opera
MANOWAR Warriors of the World
RAGE Unity
AVANTASIA Metal opera 2
VISION DIVINE Send Me an Angel
RHAPSODY Power of the Dragonflame
W.A.S.P. Dying For The World
DARK TRANQUILLITY Damage Done
IMMORTAL Sons of the Northern Darkness
IN FLAMES Reroute to Remain
LACUNA COIL Comalies
OPETH Deliverance
SENTENCED The Cold White Light
TANKARD B-Day
RUSH Vapor Trails
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN The Rising
QUEEN OF THE STONE AGE Song for the Deaf
PORCUPINE TREE In Absentia
MOBY 18
AUDIOSLAVE Audioslave
PEARL JAM Riot Act