Anathema - Anathema
The Liverpool prog rockers have been going for over two decades now and still seem to be getting better and better.
2014's Distant Sattelites was an emotional gut-puncher and this self-titled epic, with it's huge and evolving guitar solo, proved a most worthy centre-piece.
Arch Enemy - War Eternal
Ninth album War Eternal saw Arch Enemy return refreshed and reinvigorated with new singer Alissa White-Gluz.
The title track - released ahead of the album - is one of the record's most potent. It silenced doubters, proving that White-Gluz had the goods vocally, and gave Michael Amott and Nick Cordle (since replaced by Jeff Loomis) the chance to trade lead licks.
Mr. Big - Gotta Love The Ride
Oh Mr Paul Gilbert. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways...
- You're proper boss on guitar
- You're one of the nicest men in rock music
- The Gotta Love The Ride solo from this year's The Stories We Could Tell
Never change...
Opeth - River
Mikael Åkerfeldt and co continued to add more strings to their, frankly, already sizeable bow with this year's Communion.
River is one of the album's stand-out tracks due to its Crosby, Stills and Nash-influenced opening and classic rocking solo section - just to show they can, it seems. Then, of course, things only progress from there...
Animals As Leaders - Nephele
Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes get name-checked by just about every other guitarist we speak with, and for good reason: Animals As Leaders are leading the way when it comes to progressive metal playing.
Nephele, is a meandering, symphonic track that peaks with an incredible solo mid-way before giving way to a pummeling outro.
Black Label Society - My Dying Time
Our viking guitar lord Zakk Wylde returned this year with the ninth album from Black Label Society, Catacombs Of The Black Vatican.
Wah-laden and punctuated by Zakk's trademark pinch harmonics, the solo from My Dying Time is one of the record's best.
Steel Panther - Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World
'Panther's ode to a party with no consquences - due to the impending apocalypse - contains an appropriately indulgent and (characteristically impressive) shred solo from Satchel.
The video, on the other hand contains Ron Jeremy, scenes of graphic drug taking and a large amount of ladies exposing their upper bodies.
