 Okay, we are live live on the metal voice Alan, what are we doing much anticipated best of list, but did a little little twist on it this year, we're going with the top songs of 2023. Before we get to the album and we've got a special guest as always. We can't do these lists without Mr Todd Latori himself. Nice to see you kindly. Nice to see you guys. I think we would be hung if we did a list without you. No can do my friend I got the logo on and everything but I didn't oh yeah look at that I just noticed you're you're sure go on that as Alan was saying we got Todd the Tory I did the reveal. That's nice. Thank you very much. We got you covered both ways. I love it. I'm most thankful. Thank you guys. Todd, we got a list. I know the thumbnail for some people says top 10 it's actually top 15 or top five times three or top five times three. This we're going to do. This is how we planned it. This is the appetizer to the big show that's coming up on the top albums. We're going to go five four three two one right. We'll do five each round table five four three two one is that sound good. Yeah. Yeah we'll do. Yeah we ranked them number one being I guess our best pick and five still awesome but you know it's hard to rank these things you know because you like them all for different reasons I guess and it's always tough to put them in a ranking. And there's music even being released today right there's new singles coming out and it's hard to hard to keep this list current when there's always new music coming out on a daily basis. Yeah for sure. I mean the big question was does a song being released today or you know within this month or last month does that count because the since the album is bringing release in 2024 so we have put down the law with the policies in place. Yes it counts. Yeah I mean the song is the song. Yeah since we're doing the songs it's you know it's released this year. Yeah all right. No we're all in agreement. The ground rules are set and before we start I want to dedicate this show to Miles Goodwin. Founder lead singer guitar player for April Wine who sadly passed away yesterday. He had the first concert I ever saw. Huge influence April Wine got all their albums and my heart and condolences go out to his family. Yeah that's a good one. Canadian legend. Legend. That's that's awful. Todd before we begin can you tell us quickly a quick quick quick quick summary of the tour that's coming up. Yeah so we well for next year we we start on two cruises and then the ground tour it's a seven week ground tour that starts March 22nd and it runs through May 12th I think. It's called The Origins Tour and we have Armored Saint coming out with us so it's just two bands which is we love Armored Saint. You know they're just awesome awesome guys awesome band a hard act to go on after because they're they're such high energy. And so yeah so we're playing the EP and the warning in their entirety. Oh yeah. And I suppose that you know we'll have an encore with probably some some of the popular hits but but the tour is based around the EP in its in full and then the warning which you know I asked Michael and Eddie and I said have you ever done this in its entirety and they I think they said no they've never done that like even when they did basically almost the whole record of the warning maybe there was a song that wasn't played that night and then another night. Maybe they played before the storm was in that set and then you know so playing it front to back especially these two together has never been done in the history of the Queen's Reich. And so it's it's really cool you know to to go back to just the very very beginnings hence The Origins Tour so a lot of people seem really excited. This is not for the casual fan that just knows Silent Lucidity or something from Empire this is this is for the kind of the real diehards that have been that know everything from the band especially back to the very beginning so yeah it's going to be awesome it's it's you know we've got our cut out for us but to be honest there's only two or three songs that we need to I've never done before the storm, since I've been in the band we I've never done blinded. So, and Casey, he's done. I think that he hasn't done obviously we haven't done those and then I think there was one more maybe that he didn't do like Knight Rider or something like that. So yeah, that's that's going to kick off beginning of the year yeah for sure. I mean this is that was my gateway into Queens right the EP for sure it was first released. We had just enough money left after we bought our albums we had enough money left to say hey that $3.99 for Queens right EP I got just enough to purchase that and we all did. And spectacular armored saint Queens right this is spectacular go buy your tickets like yeah it's it's a it's a super solid it's a super solid package and you know, not having a third band while you know we love having another band. You know, it's tough when you have another you know another drum set more amps and more it's just more of everything and not only that. You know we don't end up going on till much later. And so to have get tired I get tired that people come out to the shows, and you want them to come early to see the beginning band in the first band. Dude they're tired and at our age. Who the hell wants to stand up for four or five. That's me that's me ask Alan I have to sit down after so do I so it's it's it's going to be just an in your face kick ass two band bill. And it's a seven week run which is nice and you know, this is all played in standard tuning. Hey, that's it. That's you know, it's the songs will be played, you know how they were written and recorded and it'll be fun. Yeah, I am so excited. Yeah, I'm so excited. And we're going to Canada. Hey, look at that. Nice. So thank you for asking. Guys, this is it. This is the show before the show but still a very important show top 15 songs of 2023. Only these songs matter. No other songs matter. These are the songs. Not to say that we don't like other songs but these are the songs. All right, Alan, you want to start off. You want me to start okay. We're going to let Todd start or you could start. Yeah, we always let the guest start you. So let's start. Number five. Okay, my number five pick. One of my all time favorite thrash bands overkill. And talk about a singer that still sounds exactly like he did from way back. The song that I chose that I love so much is called the surgeon. And that is from their new album called scorched. It's just a killer. It's a killer song. Just classic overkill. And you know it's it's evil and creepy and the guitars are crunching and Bobby just sings so badass. It's a song that I love. And there's so much out there to to sift through you know, it's not easy to pick these songs but this is one that I really really like. I know it made the list so that's my that's my first selection here from our top five of each to have your top 15. So overkill, the surgeon, if you guys don't know it, go check it out. I think you're really going to dig it. That was my takeaway from this song too. Thanks for thanks for introducing it to us. The vocals, great vocals on this song. Oh yeah. Listen to the way he sings the verse the phrasing. So good sort of the phrasing is perfect. Yeah, he's amazing at at really conveying what those lyrics should sound like and he's just a master at what he does and and I just love the guy I love the band and that's my that's my pick. Alan. I'm going with goddess of war from all for metal. You know, melodic power metal he's got a little train off between the high vocals and the growl vocals and it just a song they couldn't get out of my head the more I listen to it I kept going back to it all year long and it just a great song there's a few on that album but this is the one that stood up the most for me was goddess of war. All for now. Good. And I and I don't know that so I will check that out. Was that the one where they're wearing the masks there? The drummer's wearing the mask. I think it's more their faces are painted so. Faces are painted yeah yeah well it's pretty interesting it's a power metal song. Definitely a man of war disciples that's for sure. All right here comes my number five and you know what I'm not a big death metal fan. I'm at all but I kind of like the way they do it it's nervosa it's endless ambition. It was released. Yeah I think earlier in the year or mid year. You know here's three ladies they're doing it right. It's death it's thrash but there's still a sense of melody. There's it's technical and it's just super charged in your face hats off to them I think they truly deserve to be on the list because that song is just it's just they're belting it out on all firing off on all cylinders basically. And they have a new they have a new guitar player. A Greek. Yeah, she's really really she's really really good. And then um yeah and then also the original founding member. She's now handling the other guitars and all the vocals and she's really good at the vocals like I didn't know. She could do that so well and it kind of makes you wonder why she didn't do that from the beginning but you never you never know and when you have lineup changes and this and that. I guess if you're kind of I don't want to say the face of the band but she's the founding member and she is the face of the band. You know, I think that having that consistent voice. Yeah. What would I know about that is very important. You know, so. Yeah, it's there they're kicking ass and if if your audience isn't familiar with them that you should totally check them out. And like you said, they have a new lineup and they're there. I mean they're working really hard. There's two Greeks. Yeah, the bass player, the bass player is Greek also. Yeah, that's right. And then help hire the help hire the bassist. Yeah, and Cortina, the guitarist. She has her own band to the other Greek. That's right. That's right. It's it's the Greek injection. That's what it comes down to. So that just brought the band to the next level. Yeah, and they're they're former drummer. She was she's from Greece also, but so she left and doing. A Bulgarian, a Bulgarian, a Brazilian and two Greeks. There you have it. There you go. Super. Walk into a bar. What do you call a Greek woman? You don't call them there. Do you still call them there? Or is that just for the guy? Don't say that. Don't say that. I don't know. Don't say that. Don't say that. Well, no, I'm just saying what it's a super bad slang. But don't say that. But not for them, not for them. I don't mean it for them. I had just three words to describe the song, Jim, and you said it earlier in your face. I mean, this is relentless. Yeah, they're they're they don't they they're there's boom. Most all their songs are just straight to it, you know. Yeah, anyway, that's a great pick. Thank you. All right, we're back to Todd, Todd, number four. Yeah, let me go back to my list. All right, because I don't remember what I picked. Oh yeah, number four again. Really tough to put this in number four. But I could have easily gone way higher, but you know, I did what I did. So my number four pick is is the new song that everyone's heard by Judas Priest called trial by fire. I really, I really like this song. I like the the. I think it's in three. I can't remember it is in three. It's in a wall. That out. You know, it's an interesting the phrasing I really like. It's heavy. It's it's it's the drums are it's all interesting. And I mean, good grief at this age to still be putting out this level of music is just really amazing. And I loved it. I thought it was awesome. And so I haven't heard, you know, obviously I haven't heard everything, but that's a song that when it came out, I think it was the second single that they put out. And I really like it and I've listened to it many, many times and it's it's grown on me more as I've listened to it. So that's my number four is trial by fire from Judas Priest. Love the lyrics love the groove and yeah it's grown on me too since I first heard it. You know what, Todd, you're very you're very astute. It is a three four or four four the timing and that's what brings that gives the song that little twist to it right. It's in six it's in 123456 one yeah it's in six. Yeah, but but then again it's a multiply of two. And then I think I think it goes to a straight four four but I'm quite sure the verse is in six everything you know it's all in six. So it's in but you nailed it man what a great song by Judas Priest. I mean they live on their great sounding song and it's just it's not your typical you know repeat the song title 30 times right you know it's it's a great sounding chorus it just. Yeah and the album the album is called panic attack which I think wasn't that the first single they put out. Yes, but we'll get to that. That's exactly right. No I'm saying I that's the name of the album is panic attack. And yeah so that's my pick number four for me. Got it. Okay, where we at Alan. Yeah I'll go with number four Metallica shadows follow it was a coin toss between this and 72 seasons but somebody on the panel which I won't say who took 72 seasons off of their list so I look at him he's trying to look not innocent over there and with a big microphone in front of him but yeah I like but it could have been a coin toss I mean I love this song it's it's for Metallica it's really it's really what you expect women these days and maybe it's the Batman theme kind of before the bridge is a little section it sounds a little bit like the Batman theme maybe that's what swung me over to put on my list of the top five rather than 72 seasons I'm blessed Turner you can't get that out of your head but it's just that guitar solo doesn't do it for me that could have been another quick note it's the name of the song what's the name of the song Alan. I had the shadows follow. Yeah, you know, I don't know that. It's a second track on the album. Yeah, never heard it. I'll check it out. Guys, Invincible Shield is a Judas Priest song we messed that up but it's Invincible Shield that's the name of the album that's coming out. What are you talking about? No, no, no, no Judas Priest it's Invincible Shield that's what the album is called. No. No, it's not. The album is called Panic Attack. Right? No, it's not. I'm looking at it on. I'm looking at it right here. Judas Priest album 2023. It's probably just a thumbnail that says Panic Attack. Did I make a mistake? It's like a shield, right? It's a shield. All right, I made a mistake, whatever. It's okay, it's okay. We're doing songs. No, I know, but we just just a correction. Just want to correct it. I can't follow everybody's stuff to a T so whatever. I picked the song and that's what counts. So when I, when I, hey, just for the record, when I Google it, there you go. One thing is saying Invincible Shield. Another one under here says artist Judas Priest album Panic Attack release 2023. So that's where I got it from because I couldn't remember. It's okay. All right. No problem. Go ahead. Your turn, Jim. You're on my turn. You're in the batter's box. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just confused. Number four, Jim. You mocking me? No. Are you mocking me? Are you mocking me? What am I doing? I got my todatory shirt on. See? I'm here to amuse you. Find it amusing. Number four, Saxon, Hellfire and Damnation. I love Saxon. I love Saxon too. You know what? Who doesn't love Saxon? Everybody in the world is constantly one of the greatest consistent heavy metal bands for the past 40, whatever years. You know, Brian Tatlers and the band now from Diamond Hen. And right when you hear the opening of the song, you go is this a Diamond Hen song? No, it's Saxon. And of course Biff kicks off, you know, kicks off the song. killing grounds or killing ground it kind of fits in there it's not your speedy speedy song or your thrashy speed metal song it's just an upper mid it's a fast mid tempo track I would call it but brilliantly done always consistent I have nothing to say and the solos are fantastic and there's two solos there and Brian Tatler fits perfectly in the band since that is the era that he kind of was you know getting popular with Diamondhead so with Saxon they kind of like in parallel and he's the perfect fit so that's all I want to say about that song love the solo great solos on that song I should say really good solos well constructed I find alright guys what are we at number three order Todd let's hold on a sec Todd I gotta get the little numbers here so I'm gonna pronounce it the way I pronounce it it's okay but I think the singer whose name is Guillermo super cool guy I think I've heard him say Angelus but I call I say Angelus A-N-G-E-L-U-S Apatrita Angelus Apatrita so the the song that I picked it's an awesome song you guys got to check this out it's called to whom it may concern the album is called aftermath I actually did a guest appearance on the record Jamie Josta was on there you know there's a few few guest people I didn't choose vultures and butterflies the song that I'm on with them because I thought that would be if I was gonna do a shameless plug I would do it this way and not pick the song but this but this the song to whom it may concern is cool it's got a really nice clean intro they are killer guitar players they're very melodic sometimes you can hear almost like kind of like Megadeth Marty Friedman era guitar playing you can hear a little bit of testament in them in the vocal melodies you can hear a little bit Pantera and the vocal phrasings dude their band is they're blowing up they're on century media they're like the biggest metal band in Spain in fact I you know I think even hate breed Jostus band I think I heard that they even hate breed goes on before they do when they play big festivals they're like but they're killer and you guys don't know them you should totally check them out Angelus Apatrita the album's called aftermath the song is to whom it may concern and it's got some peaks and valleys it's not just balls to the wall the whole time and I like this one because of those those dynamics you know so that's my number pick my pick for number three I love the intro like you said it okay well I never heard of these guys in the intro and then the vocals come in it's completely different than what you're expecting the rest of the song to sound like after that in yeah and then it goes into another thing again it changes again and it's it's really cool you know I mean instead of just full-blown thrash the whole way through they do they this record they do have some really pretty clean stuff even the the song that I guessed it on is a ballad that ends up becoming like really heavy but it's way more melodic than you're hearing in metal these days especially in like the more extreme metal styles not power metal but thrash and even beyond you know it it's great that you picked this band because it's always good to have new discoveries for the people who haven't heard these guys right they're my favorite new thrash band yeah I enjoyed it I am happy you like you picked it because that's what it's about it's not only about picking the obvious but it's also picking about the gems there you know that for sure I haven't discovered them right yeah that's good job thank you all right are we Valin now yeah hold on well it's one of my favorite bands I don't know why they're not bigger but it's off the album Tales from the North it's bloodbound and the song is Drink with the Gods so the best song that Ailsdorm never wrote so he's got the chance it's got great lyrics you're going to battle having your mead before battle more power metal I don't know is I found a power metal album strong this year so I'm taking a couple of power metal songs on my top five I just love bloodbound and just the chanting I mean you can listen to this one it starts with a Celtic flavor but once it gets into the gang vocals you can't get the song out of your head and you know any song that leaves you remembering a melody even if it's Chante stuff that's a win you know there's so much of the extreme stuff today that's like what's just taking a dominating a lot of like when you say people here are metal they're just thinking like just pure scream oh you know there's like yep what happened to the real singers and so you're not hearing a lot of melody you're hearing a lot of percussive vocalization so maybe that's why I'm picking this song that's even though it's thrash and it's brutal vocals there there's still some singing in there and there is melody and in power metal it's all about melody I mean it's all melody so yeah I gotta check that out I'm not familiar with a lot of these picks from you so I'm definitely interested to digging deeper into this stuff because I need to start listening to some some other stuff anyway these guys have been around forever I've got their earlier albums Nosferatu and Book of the Dead and I just don't understand why they're not bigger yeah well you know what some of some of those you're you know most coveted bands from metal fans are are those bands that just were a little more underground a little more under the radar didn't quite get that big big notoriety and and and you just find some amazing stuff that just wasn't really hugely popular and it kind of makes it special it's like it's our it's our you know it's like our secret you know you know them too many people know about them I'm sharing my secret Stonehenge metal that's what I call it Stonehenge metal guys I'm gonna give you my number three yeah you know here's a band that's come back yes right they're kind of like down and out tragedy after tragedy but you know what they're back powerful metal church me than nothing you know what I love about this song it's kind of like there's this vibe of the dark like old school metal church but at the same time there's it's refreshing and it's new Mark Lopes who we know has injected this just this enthusiasm back into the band and again it's got a touch of old school it's got a touch of the new school and that's what makes this song is a very dark sounding song the lyrics can connect with people you know me the nothing anyways it's a great dark vibe I just like the construction I like the melody it's got a great I think the core I think it's probably melody I think it's probably the for me it's like probably my my favorite chorus on the record yeah and it really has the that classic you know me the nothing you know and there's the high there's the high vocal on top of the lower vocal which is something I like to do a lot Rob Halford does that a lot and yeah it definitely has that old school metal church vibe and it's it's a it's a slower that chorus is like a nice slow groove so I think that's a really that's a good pick a cool choice of words me the nothing right when you think about it's it's just it's a dark sort of depressing kind of song but go ahead now and sorry yeah no thanks Jim for putting on your list it's what I would have missed but I thoroughly enjoyed it I give it eight out of ten and it's a very well written song and like you said that I agree with both the vocals take me right back to early early metal church yeah it's a very strong song that's a great picture thank you yeah I like it because it's not it's not too wordy a lot of a lot of time singers can get just too too many syllables too much not enough breathing room like just because nope oh geez what the hell just died his phone died we lost that it'll be connected to here okay what the hell's going on I know somebody maybe somebody that's not on his list not like the song there he is is back what happened I don't know no we're not nervous was that on my end it just kind of you were just died yeah just totally closed the window out anyway sorry guys I don't know that was all good that was weird it's all good we'll put you back to where you were there yeah so you know I just like that it's not too wordy and it's it's very singable and it's simple it's an it's a call and answer thing you know that's a queen that's a queens right thing you know if you know I've said it before but so many queens right songs are a call and answer right and so this has that me the nothing da da da da da da da me the nothing that's your your glue and then you have these inserted pieces so yeah that's a good good pick all right good stuff guys so everybody out watching watching the show have are the picks good so far because we're getting down to two and one right now have we are we on the right track are we on the right trajectory that's what I want to know you know you know how many songs were released in 2023 I mean yeah it's crazy this is just our picks man there's we kind of guys are our picks yeah yeah of course this is not subjective this is the way it is when and when and when you you know when you guys have your own show yours can be can be objective as well all right here we go all right we're going to Todd's uh number two wow well wait a second we gotta yeah we gotta go to Todd's number two here let's let's now now we're getting to it now wait I forgot the walnut where's the walnut hold on you'll get the walnut you guys crazy talk amongst yourselves talk with yourself all right that's a good pick what's that mannequin you got behind you there Jesus it's heavy what's that mannequin you got behind you Alan what is that that was that that was I went here COVID crazy on Kijiji and I bought a mannequin that looks cool guys guys this is my man cave I like it now Todd will you can you can you're invited to come see my man cave for sure you just lose five minutes from me we could drive yeah uh oh here we go guys here it is guys this is it this is this is what it's all about at the end of the day so for those of you who have never seen the giant walnut academy awards they have the little man the Grammys they have that record player but we have at the metal voice we have the giant walnut you should have a smaller this is our trophy the hallowed walnut this is what it is my friend and inside contains nice wood greatest the greatest song of the year and the greatest album of the year but we have to keep it locked for it you should have smaller nets for the songs keep the big nets for the album just so everybody knows once again I will I will say this one more time this is part one the greatest songs of 2023 and part two will be soon it'll be the greatest albums of 2020 all right so seven deadly sins seven ways to win seven holy paths to hell my number two is from Bruce Dickinson I just watched the the eight minute and change video slash movie uh it was really cool I watched it on my big screen with my surround the song is the afterglow of Ragnarok um as do we know an album is there an album name because I don't I didn't I will confirm that the album is called the mandrake the mandrake project the mandrake project that's right that's right had good good I didn't want to jump in there Jim but it looks no no I just I knew it then I you just got a second I don't know it like he was having a battle move I didn't I don't want to spoil this punch but he looks like he was suffering there for like guys it's that a mandrake project 18 years after so you know what so we can all chime in on this but the first thing I noticed was the lower tuned guitar the much crunchier heavy sounding guitar that you know you don't hear an iron maiden they're not as crunchy and kind of yeah so it has that more modern has that more modern heavier uh distorted guitar sound um you know classic uh classic Bruce Dickinson you know he he sings on anything and it sounds great and obvious you know not that I want to steal away from your commentary jimmy but when we spoke uh you know you were you were telling me and this guy just puts everything into every detail and so when you look at the video and just everything that he's involved in he's definitely you know a visionary and I think the song's really cool I'm looking forward to hearing more more of it I love Bruce Dickinson's voice and uh I thought it was really great so so that was my number two pick so as a singer Todd what I wanted to ask you with you having both Halford and Dickinson on your list how do these guys still sound like this and they're in their 70s or pretty close to it in Bruce's case so what what do you think their secrets um you turn with I I think I think a really important thing is that they didn't abandon the way that they sang and the style of music didn't change um and so I think that they it's conditioning and yeah as you age you know your voice is going to change but when you're constantly lifting weights as you age you're going to still be able to pull a lot of weight and do well and you're physically intact so I think a lot of singers that either sang incorrectly or just quit trying to sing higher stuff lost a part of that range just simply because of the conditioning I can tell you I don't sing I can't hit as high in notes as I did when I was in Crimson Glory right now but I believe that if I conditioned myself and sang that way I could get back to that um and so I think it's just because A they're just I think they probably take good care of themselves um and B I think a lot of it's conditioning and I think a lot of it is just that you know they're just kind of special singers I mean you have other singers that were just phenomenal that I'm sorry just they just don't sing that great anymore and I'm not going to name any names but it happens and I don't know I don't know why that is but I think that attributing the the positive attributes I think would be a lot of that's conditioning and and not bailing and and like singing other stuff that isn't demanding so they're keeping they're pushing themselves by still doing it a lot and so I think that's that's really important but you could also overdo it where you're causing damage and too much fatigue and maybe that causes some problems too huh I mean that's mad something and like you said somebody wasn't keeping up with something maybe right I mean it's a voice is a muscle like well guys guys guys I just want to say Brian Johnson technique look at Brian Johnson I love Brian Johnson so do I but you could see that there's some incorrect singing going on right I mean he's just I don't know his voice has been ripped to shreds in a sense right and you know what when you're when you're in your 20s or you know they were really young when you're in your 20s and you're just belting it out and it's not hard you don't think I got to sing this in 50 years no that's not even on your radar so you know when some people will say like oh he can't hit those notes anymore okay maybe that's true but Michael Phelps can't swim like he did Mike Tyson can't fight like he did like we're humans and and you know you reach a peak and then aging happens and you know things wear wear and tear and but yeah I mean Bruce Dickinson still sounds amazing Rob Halford still kicks ass I mean these are two you know I would say exceptions you know they're they're very exceptional um so yeah anyway that's my that's my pick great pick John Bush and toddler Tory two other great vocals that are coming to your town soon in the new year so check that on and get some tickets man pick up we will be tickets North American tour starts in March 2024 correct Todd correct don't want to miss us only two bads we're going right to the friggin meal here we're not no appetizer no opening bands nothing we're going right to the meal bring on the steak and potatoes that's what I want and the dessert right that's it yeah that's a good alright thank you good so I'll go with my number two okay coming up for now was going to release in March of 2024 album called Stan United the band Greg my friends fire win and Salvation Day was the single it was a toss-up you know this was a toss-up too between destiny is calling I mean they both could be on this list they're that strong I'm listening to this I realize who sounds like fire with not too many bands out there sound like fire when they're kind of unique in that respect of course the great Gus G on guitar I love the vocals and it's just a great song I'm looking for all three songs I've ever released are strong I can't wait to hear this album when it's a big fire win right Greek Greek that's all I can say the Greek invasion that's what's happening my friends we had nervous nervosa we're having Gus G this is like an inside this is the Greek invasion the new wave of Greek invasion that's what it is new Gwagwin okay any comments there Todd nothing well I mean I mean Gus is just such a phenomenal player you know just one of the cleanest player you know his picking everything is just so pristine and the guy just keeps churning out song after song album after album he's obviously just still so passionate about what he does and I know he's out giving doing masterclass clinic things he's doing and you know he's he's super involved he's another guy who's really on top of his game with his with his signature series Jackson guitars and the black star amps and he's got his pick up his own pickups and and he's you know keeps moving the band right along and they're touring consistently I haven't seen him in a while so I hope to see him again soon but you know I love those guys you know they toured with us and nothing bad to say love firewind love Gus all those guys so yeah it's a good it's a good choice you couldn't ask for a nicer guy right I mean we've had him on the show and yeah just a great guy he's a really nice guy and a fan I still a fan of music for sure absolutely and he's not he's not braggie you know in the public and everything he's he's very he's a good listener he's a very good listener um he knows he knows he knows what he can do you know and uh he just lets the music do the talking but yeah he's a super great guy I like what Tanvir says he's I'm calling the show for Greek bias okay here comes my number two you guys ready yeah it's Judas Priest but it's panic attack panic attack so that's the name of the record Jim that's not the name of the record you know it starts off with a little bit of turbo a little taste turbo right the keyboard is guitars there was little electric drums and then it goes right into a panic attack a panic yeah had a real panic had a real vintage vintage intro with the synthesizer stuff yeah yes yes very different for them a very different intro was cool and that midsection that freewheel burning vibe midsection with the guitar is just kind of like you know galloping along and the solos it's very reminiscent of of freewheel burning just love it and Halford right you know he pulls off that scream at the end but it's not the end it keeps going the song panic attack panic attack so yeah sure they're they're repeating the the title of the song over and over again but it fits the song that that's that's the most important thing is this a political song from Judas Priest I don't know could it be something talking about current events this is this is new territory lyrically for Judas Priest as far as I'm concerned he's getting a little more in the social political commentary over the years Rob but he he keeps it vague enough so it doesn't seem like he's taking any side it's just and that's that's the way you should do it all right right on this is it yes yes we're at number one that's number one that huh you know it's really hard to hold with one hand I find oh am I up you're up but I'm gonna wait I got the number one not here for number one okay so the band is catatonia no and the um the song is called colossal shade it's off of their album called sky void of stars this is a um my wife actually turned me on to this band years ago and and I discovered them get that look off your face jimmy what are you doing he looks like he's ready to say I'm reading the comments I'm reading the comments all right you look like you're gonna say something the comments I'm not saying anything the mouse so anyway it's the guys make me laugh on the comments all right it's a really great song and what I like about this is it's not it's not a fast song it's not a real you know crunchy in your face the great it's it's melodic it's spacious it's got prog interesting like grooves on the drums I like the vocals it goes into some slow sections and everything and it's just not amidst everything being on 11 and everybody kind of sounding like a mixture of lamb of god meets slipknot this is so refreshing to my ears because as we know metal is many things yes and so the things that are appealing to me is everything away from that other stuff and is giving me more breathing room more more melody and space and it's it has this melancholic kind of sad atmospheric thing to it but it still has this little bit of punch to it and the drumming is great I I don't know I just really like it it's probably an unorthodox pick that people might expect me to here's a funny comment do you want to hear a funny comment sure Tanvir is going welcome to prog Todd and I'm like what Tanvir what are you saying he's in a prog metal band listen I used to love I used to be like super diehard into prog I'm talking you know king crimson genesis rush I'm I'm familiar with a lot of that stuff but my idea of what I like in prog is not what most people think of prog with crazy time signatures a gazillion notes that I don't give two flying fucks about and all of that wanking I don't care it doesn't impress me I don't give a shit about it prog in the terms of thinking money from pink Floyd is prog things from Queens rake are prog but it's not so where I mean Tom Sawyer is prog but it doesn't make me it doesn't feel choppy and forced on me when it flows right before you and you didn't notice that that's when you've really done a great job so whatever made the comment it this is prog in a I mean I would say almost like in a sense of how tool can be proggy on the drums but it's not it's not prog in the other sense of like these you know math rock prog bands which I don't like um so yeah you guys should check it out the band is called catatonia the song is called colossal shade and that's my number one pick and you know when we started the show jim and I decades ago it was about learning about new bands sharing new bands and thank you for bringing us I thoroughly enjoyed this I thought it was a link between ever gray and maybe silent skies what Tom England's doing now I thought they fit there's a nice bridge between those two bands and uh yeah thoroughly enjoyed this thought I thought it was a great everything you just said and again it's a band I would not even know existed if you didn't put it in I'm gonna be checking out their back catalog after after this for sure yeah I agree I agree you know I it was refreshing I would say it's just refreshing I put it on I go okay this is metal but you know what it's a little bit done a little bit differently you know it's a little more organic we'll call it and more yeah very good yeah for sure and the vocals are more my down my alley you know and you know the the first is it two or the first two or the second and third records from uh from this band had Michael the singer of opeth on vocals great for vocals and I think it was the second and the third record but you know the people that know the band way better than I do can correct me but nevertheless he was in the band early on and um yeah it's really good stuff and they've changed it's changed a lot the lineup changes have been vast but um but yeah it's not it's not just you know growling stuff I mean it's it's very you can attest to the the vocal is not a brutal anything like that at all it's it's super uh melodic all right allen great pick my number one pick is the reason why I wanted to do this list the moment I heard it I knew the album was gonna make my top ten but this song definitely made my top five and coming in at number one it's still Panthers 1987 there I mean that's the reason why I want to do this list the lyrics I mean they they name check everything you know scorpions priests van helen docket loud loudness jens and roses they name check everybody Aussie and you know anytime you're seeing about covered ill banging tonic a tame that's that's always a good thing that's always a good thing you know what's great about your song allen it's it's okay first of all it's deal panther right but but it's a throwback it's comical but in a way it's serious right because it it kind of it's sort of in between comical and a cool throwback uh of a song right in a serious sense and in a comical sense you know it he says in the song you look at poison and he started wondering if he was gay right I mean that they look so good so it's going back it takes you right back to that time period and you know this like you said the things he's singing about is you know loudness I can't understand a word the guy anyway I can't understand a word he says but boy can he scream that's that could sum up their whole career loudness I mean it was just a great song you can't you can't help but have a smile on your face chuckle throughout the whole song that's that's why I wanted to do this list and that's why number one on my list all right here yeah and you know what some songs people might be like oh why would you pick that song this song is so much better and of course it's all subjected but sometimes you you might just pick a song because it just makes you feel just makes you feel great it doesn't have to have it doesn't have to check every box or what people think it makes it makes it the best right if it makes you feel great and there's like this that nostalgia factor and or it's it's humorous and there's you know play on words and it's just clever yeah mixed with like really good singing really good guitar playing yeah they're killer musicians and they're really fun they're really fun guys they're really funny we we did um we played in Milwaukee one time and our tour bus was there and then their tour bus rolled in and we were playing at the rave and they were playing in the place above us it's like a multi-story thing and uh we were all done and and they ended up coming coming on our bus and hanging out for like hours and um and really really nice guys really funny we you know bust each other's chops and had like real conversations and like they're just they're super nice guys and really really talented so yeah i know alan from the first time from their first album it was jimmy that listen to this you gotta listen to this first time steel panther came out of an album i've seen them once and they're funny they're you know they're great musicians actually they're they're they're really but metal but metal steel panther steel panther yeah no we're the death to all but metal at the end just like tiger woods maybe sarah silrin she's like he's like death to all but metal he's like oh but metal but metal no but metal that means uh you know all right guys this is it this is my final one you ready this is my number one i i know what it is noise you just get the nut come on pull it out there jim all right bruce dickinson the afterglow of ragnarok i don't even know a late addition a late addition to your list i must admit you know i've talked about this now i've already done a review on it you know riv driven power metal bruce me and todd we're talking about this just a few days ago he when he's in he's all in you know he's he's the businessman he's the singer of iron man he's the solo artist he's the fencer he when he's in he's all in he's got a story he's got a movie going on he's got a song he's got roise he's been working on it for 18 years or 10 years what a vocal Todd what a vocal just his and you guys were talking about it before you know after all these years this freak of nature that we call Bruce Dickinson he could still come out with something so melodic he puts all the other singers of this generation to shame you know he really does you really you know you think of oh that old man that old man that old man is is a thousand times better than most current singers today not to knock everybody there are still half it's half half his age half his age because at the end of the day it's about the melody the vocal performance i'm not saying the music doesn't matter i'm just saying at the end of the day that's what drives the song the vocals paying attention to listen to how he sings that chorus it's it's just brilliant it's just and it's interesting it's interesting that in moonchild he says the mandrake he says that in moonchild the song moonchild right here the mandrake scream right that whole thing and then here's the mandrake so he's got a thing for this mandrake yeah so anyway yeah it's awesome i'm sure most people have totally seen the video and heard the song and yeah good stuff yeah i mean you know what i'm going to ask everybody out there what is your number one song of the year will read them out if you want that is alan any comments no thanks for doing this uh todd and jim i mean it was fun its first time we did it and hopefully it'll be part of our yearly tribute moving forward so yeah i i always have fun with you guys and thank you so much for inviting me to do this it's been a little a hot minute yeah and um i hope everything's going well with both of you personally and professionally and that everyone in the audience out there is is doing well i cannot believe we're already almost to the end of this year good grief hallowed by so in is it so in is it pronounced so in alan pardon hallowed hallowed by so in the the the out the band so in is it so in so in so in s o e n how do you pronounce that could be a so in yeah could be so in is it so in so in so in uh dead vindice is it ideal vindicci i don't know is that a song is that a band i'm not sure so people are just like kind of like posting stuff maggot heart this shadow some fusion of punk rock metal and rock and roll into a great song the guitars from alz current band primal feel cancel culture so in great band and god be with us that's what somebody wrote so that's messages out to i got two honorable mentions as well temple balls off the album avalanche all night long that's more hard rocking metal and uh strike the match from phil cambell and the bastard suns i thought those two would be something oh i got on to ace freely 10 000 volts that actually was number six going up to number five and went back to six number five i enjoyed it i'm a huge ace freely fan so 10 000 volts any honorable mentions for you uh tot are you good no i'm good you're good thank you everybody for watching the objective list that's it that's subjective great see you great seeing you thanks everybody thanks pleasure as always stay well looking good buddy i'll see you in the blink of an eye i'll be up in your neck of the woods can't wait that we get together for sure and that's some fun so we'll have some greek food we'll go we're taking our authentic place all right let's do that good