The 2012 MelRock Awards

Fri

Feb

Year:

2012

THE 2012 MELROCK AWARDS

Welcome to the 2012 MelRock Awards. I know...it's 2014 already. Only a year late! This is where I roll out my usual "it's never too late to discover or remember great music you might have missed..." line. Hopefully it still works!
I apologize profusely for the ridiculously late (and hopefully not too irrelevant) 2012 Awards page. The 2013 page is right around the corner...stand by...

I've made sure to complete these awards, as 2012 was truly a killer year for music. Some amazing albums were on offer, where any of the top 5-6 could have been Album Of The Year in any other year and the plethora of classic songs made Song Of The Year almost impossible to pick. The runners up are all great songs that deserve to be in your collections - do check them out if you haven't already had them in high rotation for the last 18+ months!

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Rick Springfield

Songs For The End Of The World

Not too many 60+ year olds continue to kick ass with new tunes, and even less of them can make a statement as fresh, as vibrant and as contemporary as this album. Rick Springfield delivers arguably his best album since the 80s - an album that is filled with his usual angst filled anthems, but delivered with an upbeat attitude. The energy within these songs is something a 30 year old would be proud of. There was no question this would be my album of the year after I'd had it a week. It really is the perfect melodic rock album for me and many others.

Eclipse

Bleed Scream

These Swedish lads deserve to be huge - their attitude, attention to detail and energy flows through every track on this album. The guys get better and better with age and fans were relieved to see that the long wait for this album was well worth it. Taking a heavier direction, the guys really turned it on and nailed it. Harmonies, melodies and rousing rock anthems from start to finish. Another perfect album in my estimation.

H.E.A.T.

Address The Nation

I didn't award this album a perfect score, but it was so damn close. And as time went on, it continues to be an album on high rotation and of constant enjoyment, so for that reason it edges out the also awesome Jimi Jamison album at #4. The band took a gamble on newcomer Erik Gronwall and discovered a match made in heaven. The slightly different approach Erik brings to the table has in my view, taken this band to the next level and on the brink of world domination. This is how I love my melodic rock delivered and Erik's vocals are simply brilliant.

Jimi Jamison

Never Too Late

Teaming with the guy that can do no wrong - Erik Martensson - Jimi delivers one of his best vocal performances ever on an album packed with hard hitting songs that define his career. Anthems, heartfelt melodies and emotional vocals. Fist in the air, feel good music, all delievred with a powerful production. Perfect for all fans of Jimi's past and present and still a much loved album for me.

Van Halen

A Different Kind Of Truth

One of my favourite groups of all time. But no one gave them a chance of recapturing former glories, so it was with genuine excitement and amazement that this album not only matched the long held expectations, but exceeded them. The energy within this album was my biggest surprise, I really didn't expect the tempo to be quite so furious from these old dogs. But what a great album - pieced together through adversity and a less than standard way of recording, but whatever they did - it worked!

6	Halestrom - The Strange Case Of... - The best female fronted hard rock band on the planet and an album that lives up to that claim. The songs are fantastic and the production truly in your face. And the ballads! They are just fantastic.

7	Shinedown - Amaryllis - And the best modern rock/metal band on the planet right here. They can do no wrong. The vocals of Smith and the power from the rest of the band make them leaders in their field.

8	Pride Of Lions - Immortal - Life in the old dog yet... The Jim Peterik/Toby Hitchcock vehicle returns for another album of pomp friendly, feel good, anthemic old school melodic rock.

9	Magnum - On The 13th Day - Another veteran of the scene also turning on their best, showing bands twenty years their junior just how it's done. Their best album since reforming.

10	Jack Blades - Rock N Roll Ride - Jack's second solo album is a far better and more consistent album than his debut and sits right alongside the awesome Night Ranger album from 2011 as a must have release.

11	Lionville - II
12	Hartmann - Balance
13	Jeff Scott Soto - Damage Control
14	Black Country Communion - Afterglow
15	Hardline - Danger Zone
16	Hess - Living In Yesterday
17	Rush - Clockwork Angels
18	Delta Goodrem - Child Of The Universe
19	Bonrud - Save Tomorrow
20	Romeo's Daughter - Rapture

21	Threshold - March Of Progress
22	Richard Marx - Inside My Head
23	Sunstorm - Emotional Fire
24	Loverboy - Rock N Roll Revival
25	Ten - Heresey & Creed
26	Dare - Calm Before The Storm II
27	Trixter - New Audio Machine
28	Lover Under Cover - Set The Night On Fire
29	Sapphire Eyes - Sapphire Eyes
30	Europe - Bag Of Bones

31	Tango Down - Identity Crisis
32	Circus Maximus - Nine
33	Asia - XXX
34	House Of Shakira - HoS
35	Jeremey Frederick - Every Little Thing
36	Lita Ford - Living Like A Runaway
37	Casablanca - Apocalyptic Youth
38	Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
39	Empires Of Eden - Channelling The Infinite
40	Empires Of Eden - Channelling The Infinite

Honorable Mentions: (in no particular order)

Gun - Break the Silence
Chris Antblad - A New Dawn
Primal Fear - Unbreakable
Eric Martin - Mr. Rock Vocalist
Mad Max - Another Night Of Passion
The Veer Union - Divide The Blackened Sky
Dynazty - Sultans Of Sin
Blessed By A Broken Heart - Feel The Power
Pink - The Truth About Love

Flying Colors - Flying Colors
Silence - City (Days) / City (Nights)
Impera - Legacy Of Life
Issa - Can't Stop
Dante Fox - Lost Man's Ground
Anberlin - Vital
Axel Rudi Pell - Circle Of The Oath
Miles Of Will - Wild Ride EP

THE BEST METAL / PROG ALBUM:

Shinedown - Amarylis
Threshold - March Of Progress
Circus Maximus - Nine
Empires Of Eden - Channelling The Infinite
Adrenalin Mob - Omerta
Black Majesty - Stargazer
Primal Fear - Unbreakable
Bloodbound - In The Name Of Metal
It Bites - Map Of The Past
End Of September - End Of September
Unisonic - Unisonic

BEST DEBUT ALBUM OF 2012:

.....(New Band/Artist/Solo Debut, Not Project)

Lover Under Cover - Set The Night On Fire
Sapphire Eyes - Sapphire Eyes
Jeremey Frederick - Every Little Thing
Casablanca - Apocalyptic Youth
Flying Colors - Flying Colors
Impera - Legacy Of Life
Something Unto Noting - S.U.N.
I Am I - Event Horizon
Docker's Guild - The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age Of Ignorance
Unisonic - Unisonic

BEST COMPILATION OR LIVE ALBUM:

Mr. Big - Raw Like Sushi 100
Night Ranger - 24 Strings And A Drummer
Jimi Jamison - Live At Firefest
Glass Tiger - Then, Now & Next
Queen - Live In Budapest
Y&T - Live at the Mystic
Royal Hunt - The Best Of Royal Works 1992-2012
AC/DC - Live at River Plate
Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day
Dio - The Very Beast Of Vol. 2
Bon Jovi - Inside Out
Starship - Playlist
Axe - Axeology 1979-2001
Triumph - Live At Sweden Rock

BEST RE-ISSUE/ARCHIVE RELEASE:

Glass Tiger - The Thin Red Line (2CD)
Youngblood - Youngblood
Inxs - Kick (25th Anniversary)
Adrenalin - Road Of The Gypsy
Angel - Rock Candy Catalogue Series
Kane Roberts - Kane Roberts & Saints & Sinners (Yesterrock)
Kiss - Destroyer Resurrected
Aldo Nova - Rock Candy Catalogue Series
FM - Tough It Out & Indiscreet
Max Carl - The Circle
Craaft - Second Honeymoon

2012 SONG OF THE YEAR

Rick Springfield - Our Ship's Sinking
Rick Springfield - Wide Awake
H.EA.T. - Breaking The Silence
Eclipse - Wake Me Up
Jimi Jamison - Everybody's Got A Broken Heart
Rick Springfield - One Way Street
H.E.A.T. - Living On The Run
Van Halen - You And Your Blues
Eclipse - Bleed And Scream
H.E.A.T - It's All About Tonight
Jeff Scott Soto - Die A Little
Pride Of Lions - Delusional
Jimi Jamison - Never Too Late
Rick Springfield - Signs Of Life
Jim Jamison - Not Tonight
Van Halen - Trouble With Never
H.E.A.T. - Better Off Alone
Eclipse - Battlegrounds
Hardline - 10,000 Reasons
Jeff Scott Soto - Damage Control
Van Halen - China Town
Pride Of Lions - Immortal
Gotthard - Remember It's Me
Jack Blades - Born For This
Eclipse - Bitter Taste
Shinedown - Unity
Halestorm - Mrs. Hyde
Magnum - So Let It Rain
Pride Of Lions - Tie Down The Wind
Hartmann - All Of My Life
Rick Springfield - My Last Heartbeat
Shinedown - Adrenaline
Richie Sambora - Every Road Lead Back To You
Magnum - Shadowtown
Van Halen - Blood & Fire
Threshold - Ashes
Richard Marx - Had Enough
Romeo's Daughter - Alive
Bonrud - Bullet In The Back
Lita Ford - Living Like A Runaway
Miles of Will - Wild Ride
Pride Of Lions - Vital Signs
Shinedown - I'm Not Alright
Delta Goodrem - Child Of The Universe
Tango Down - Back To Life
Sunstorm - Never Give Up
H.E.A.T. - Need Her
Tyketto - Faithless
Miles of Will - Time & Place
Loverboy - Heartbreaker
Jack Blades - Back In The Game
Trixter - Tattoo's & Misery

Honorable Mentions: (in no particular order)

Jeff Scott Soto - Give A Little More
Jeff Scott Soto - Look Inside Your Heart
Jeff Scott Soto - Afraid To Die
Gun - Break The Silence
Van Halen - Stay Frosty
Asia - Face On The Bridge
Rick Springfield - My DUI
Delta Goodrem - Dancing With A Broken Heart
Loverboy - No Tomorrow
Bonrud - We Collide
Bonrud - Save Tomorrow
Romeo's Daughter - Trippin'
Romeo's Daughter - Talking Love
Anberlin - Self-Starter
Anberlin - Someone Anyone
AOR - Above Suspicion
AOR - From LA To Paris
Van Halen - Bullethead
Asia - Tomorrow The World
Asia - Ghost Of A Chance
Black Country Communion - Big Train
Black Country Communion - Confessor
Black Country Communion - Afterglow
Departure - You Don't Need To Do This Anymore
Dokken - Empire
Dynazty - Raise Your Hands
Dynazty - More Than A Man
Eclipse - SOS
Eclipse - After The End Of The World
Europe - Not Supposed To Sing The Blues
Europe - Bag Of Bones
Europe - Doghouse
Threshold - Coda
Trixter - Live For The Day
Trixter - Drag Me Down
Tyketto - Here's Hoping It Hurts
Magnum - On The 13th Day
Magnum - See How They Fall
Magnum - From Within

Jimi Jamison - The Great Unknown
Jimi Jamison - I Can't Turn Back
H.E.A.T - Downtown
Halestorm - In Your Room
Halestorm - Here's To Us
Halestorm - Beautiful With You
Hardline - Fever Dreams
Hardline - Stay
Hartmann - Like A River
Hartmann - You Are The One
Hess - Don't Leave Me
Hess - Living In Yesterday
Jack Blades - Say You Will
Jack Blades - Love Life
Lionville - All We Need
Lionville - Another Day
Lionville - The Only Way Is Up
Last Autumn's Dream - Angels Will Cry
Sapphire Eyes - You're My Wings
Sapphire Eyes - This Love This Time
Soleil Moon - History Repeats It's Pages
Tango Down - Cryin To Me
Tango Down - Alone
Tango Down - Blame
Ten - Arabian Nights
Ten - Gunrunning
Wig Wam - Wall Street
Wig Wam - Wrong Can Feel So Right
Wigelius - Angeline
Wigelius - Too Young To Fall In Love
Rush - Seven Cities Of Gold
Rush - The Wreckers
Rush - Headlong Flight

BEST METAL/PROGRESSIVE SONG:

Shinedown - Adrenalin
Threshold - Ashes
Shinedown - Enemies
Halestorm - Love Bites (So Do I)
Threshold - Coda
Empires Of Eden - This Time
Circus Maximus - Architect Of Fortune
Black Majesty - Lost Highway
Bloodbound - Mr. Darkness
Adrenalin Mob - Indifferent

BEST BALLAD:

Delta Goodrem - I'm Not Ready
Halestorm - Break In
H.EA.T. - The One And Only
Hardline - Please Have Faith In Me
Hess - It's Over
Jeremey Frederick - This Is Your Life
Lita Ford - Mother
Pride Of Lions - Are You The Same Girl
Richard Marx - Wouldn't Let You Love Me
Hartmann - The Best Is Yet To Come
Ten - The Riddle
Wigelius - Talking About Love
Aerosmith - What Could Have Been Love

2012 Best Artwork

04-07
08-11
12-15

16-20

2012 Artist Awards

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Rick Springfield
2012 was a year of veterans showing how it's done and Rick's vocal performance on his latest album was nothing short of stunning.

Honorable Mentions - Erik Gronwall (H.E.A.T); Toby Hitchcock; Jimi Jamison; Lzzy Hale (Halestorm); Brent Smith (Shinedown)

Past Winners:
2011 - Eric Martin
2010 - Marcie Free
2009 - John Elefante
2008 - Arnel Pineda
2007 - Mike Reno
2006 - Pekka Ansio Heino
2005 - Jorn Lande
2004 - Jeff Scott Soto
2003 - Harry Hess.

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR:
Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
Class is class. Exceeding all expectations and still relevant after 30 years of making music...still showing the kids how it's done.

Honorable Mentions - Rick Springfield; Erik Martinsson; Magnus Henriksson; Joe Hottinger (Halestorm); Zach Myers (Shinedown), Jim Peterik (Pride Of Lions).

Past Winners:
2011 - Neal Schon
2010 - Steve Lukather
2009 - Erik Martensson
2008 - Doug Aldrich
2007 - Thorsten Koehne
2006 - Steve Lukather
2005 - Magnus Karlsson

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR:
Alex Van Halen (Van Halen)
Who would have given Van Halen a chance of delivering a high-energy album after all these years? And the old guy behind the kit hammering away furiously like a 20 year old is this year's Drummer of The Year.

Honorable Mentions - Barry Kerch (Shinedown); Arejay Hale (Halestorm); Rodger Carter (Rick Springfield); Robban Back (Eclipse).

Past Winners:
2011 - Pat Torpey
2010 - Jamie Borger
2009 - Steve West
2008 - The Drum Machine
2007 - Kelly Keagy
2006 - Simon Phillips
2005 - Daniel Flores.

BASSIST OF THE YEAR:
Wolfgang Van Halen (Van Halen)
The kid delivers. On a hiding to nothing - son of the band's legendary guitarist and deposing the very popular Michael Anthony - Wolfgang withstands the pressure and shows talent runs in the bloodlines. A great effort on the VH album.

Honorable mentions - Matt Bissonette (Rick Springfield), Jack Blades, Glenn Hughes (Black Country Communion).

Past Winners:
2011 - Billy Sheehan
2010 - Nalle Pahlsson
2009 - Bruno Ravel
2008 - Matt Bissonette
2007 - Jack Blades
2006 - Marcel Jacob

KEYBOARDIST OF THE YEAR:
Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Lionville, Issa, Empires of Eden, Laneslide)
The Italian master made 2012 his own with a hand in more than 10 albums over the course of the year, either playing, writing and/or producing...with even more coming up in 2013/2014!

Honorable mentions - "Mr. Keyboards" Eric Ragno, Michael T Ross, Jim Peterik (Pride Of Lions), Mark Stanway (Magnum).

Past Winners:
2011 - Eric Ragno
2010 - CJ Vanston
2009 - Darren Wharton
2008 - Eric Ragno
2007 - Eric Ragno.

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR:
Erik Martensson (For the Eclipse album - with Magnus Henriksson - and also the Jimi Jamison album)
Two fantastic albums with huge, bombastic sound...brining the best out of everyone.

Honorable mentions - Ross Hogarth (Van Halen); Rick Springfield & Matt Bissonette; Tobias Lindell (H.E.A.T); Howard Benson (Halestorm); Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Lionville, as well as helping with parts in Frozen Rain, Code of Silence, Charming Grace, Sapphire Eyes, Wheels Of Fire)

Past Winners:
2011 - Kevin Shirley
2010 - Steve Lukather, CJ Vanston, Steve MacMillan
2009 - Erik Martensson
2008 - Dennis Ward
2007 - Dennis Ward
2006 - Harry Hess & Pete Lesperance (Harem Scarem)
2005 - Dennis Ward
2004 - Fabrizio V.Zee Grossi
2003 - Tommy Denander.

2012 Rest In Peace

Chris Stamp (Manager The Who); Elysium's guitarist/vocalist Terry Allen; Rick Chadock - guitarist for White Sister; Beyond The Bridge guitar and keyboard player Simon Oberender; Scandal keyboard player Benjy King; Rob Grant, founding member and bass player of the Canadian group Sarasin; guitarist for Starship - Mark Abrahamian; Elton John's longtime bassist Bob Birch; Daryl Cotton iconic figure in Australia, vocalist for Zoot & solo; Larry Hoppen, one of the founding members of the band Orleans; the legend Jon Lord (Deep Purple); John Harrison, founding bassist for legendary space rock band Hawkwind; Rock City Angels frontman/founder Bobby Durang; Tommy Shaw's mom; Mark McConnell (Seb Bach band drummer); comedian CC Banana; Men At Work's Greg Ham; pop culture icon Dick Clark; Child's Play frontman Brian Jack; Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack; legendary guitar great Ronnie Montrose; The Monkees' Davey Jones; Sven Gali guitarist Dee Cernile; Dean Alrich, aka Rockindeano; Riot guitarist Mark Reale; Robbie France (played drums for UFO and Diamond Head); Therese Hanserot, the original lead singer in Destiny.

May these great names all be remembered for their contribution to music and may they continue to rest in peace, with their collective legacies living on.

Worst Of 2012

ALBUMS:

Axxis - Rediscovered
Yngwie Malmsteen - Spellbound
S.A. Adams - Unearthed
Cannon - Burning Love
Steve Harris - British Lion
Kaisas - Unify
Dee Snider - Dee Does Broadway
The Angels - Take It To The Streets
Imperial State Electric - Pop War
Great White - Elation

WORST ARTWORK:

2012 WTF?

Seriously Great White....you only had the budget for half an album cover??

Could there be a worse band name than Audio Porn?

Dee Snider doing Broadway. In what universe do some of these artists think that albums like these will appeal to the fan base?

Longest album title of 2012: Docker's Guild - The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age Of Ignorance. Quite a mouthful! Very interesting album though.

I'm still trying to work out how Night Ranger came up with "24 Strings and a Drummer". If Brad had 12 strings, Joel also, then what about Jack's bass? That'd make 28. If Brad had 6 and Joel 12 plus Jack, then that's 22. And what about Eric's keys? Ah well...it's a great album!
UPDATE: "NR called it "24 strings" because Blades actually play a guitar on the DVD, not a bass. And in the middle of the concert, they have an extra guitarist from Shaw-Blades help them, so 4x six strings guitars..." Still doesn't explain the keyboards :)

German rockers Dominoe FINALLY released an album without the song Here I Am on it! Congrats guys...

I'm sure there was lots more, but this was 2012, I can't think back that far. Time to get onto the 2013 Awards!

THE END

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