It’s that time of the year again when we round up the very best of rock and metal for the year and 2015 had some great releases and some fantastic highlights. From the biggest albums of the year to the local heroes kicking it in the underground, we heard it all and so we present to you our top albums and highlights of 2015.
Best Albums of 2015
Editors choice
1. Michael Monroe – Blackout States
In 6 years of The Rockpit I’ve given six other 5 star ratings, this is no doubt one of the very best albums I have heard in years.
Review
Interview w/ Michael Monroe
2. The Dead Daisies – Revolucion
…a glorious outpouring of all the best Rock music has to offer through the decades.
Review
Interview w/ John Corabi & Marco Mendozza
Interview w/ John Corabi
3. Black Star Riders – The Killer Instinct
This is one of the best albums of any year, and one that will bring a huge smile to any Rock fan’s face.
Review
4. Babylon A.D. – Live at 25
Each year we stuck to the rule – no ‘live’ albums in the ‘Best of’ lists, this year we broke that rule. Not many bands can say they have hit their peak 25 years in but this is the proof it can happen. A live album that will stand the test of time and one that deserves a place in anyone’s collection.
Review
Interview with Derel & Robb
5. Eat the Gun – Howlinwood
Outside of their native Germany Eat the Gun has to be one of the best undiscovered rock bands out there, a killer sound with great pop sensibilities make every track a winner – and all you need to do is listen. They won’t stay hidden for much longer.
Review
6. The Darkness – Last of Our Kind
After getting rid of all the frills and many of the bells and whistles and after a while circling the airport for a while The Darkness again have their permission to land…The East will rise again!
Review
Interview w/ Dan Hawkins
7. The Compulsions – Dirty Fun
Not so much a Supergroup and more a collection of great musicians with a real love of earthy Blues-based Rock and gritty New York Dolls style New York Punk, musically the Compulsions for this reviewer at least hit that Rock ‘N’ Roll nail right on the head. This is like the bastard Punk-Glam child of 70’s Aerosmith people!
Review
8. Mark Knight – Mark Knight
When you look at artists plying their trade in this kind of field – the big names like Jason Isbell, Jeff Tweedy, even artists as familiar as Butch Walker and Ryan Adams you wonder why music of this caliber is still so relatively underground. It can surely only be a matter of time ’til Mark Knight is talked about in similar terms, and it’s all thoroughly deserved.
Review
Interview w/ Mark Knight
9. Buckcherry – Rock N Roll
Buckcherry blew us away with that first album in 1999, reinvented themselves along the way, hit highs and lows along the way and here we are in 2015 with one of their finest collections to date. This is absolutely essential.
Review
Interview w/ Keith Nelson
10. Armored Saint – Win Hands Down
Every now and then you see you get an album that denies passing fashions and gets right to the core of the music we love with great songs, channeled aggression and a sheer force of will and when you add to that perfect storm a band that is firing on all cylinders you have something very special indeed.
Review
Interview w/ Joey Vera
11. Europe – War of Kings
12. Eclipse – Armageddonize
13. The Answer – Raise a Little Hell
14. Trixter – Human Era
15. Dirtbag Republic – Dirtbag Republic
16. Screaming Eagles – Stand Up and Be Counted
17. Trucker Diablo – Rise Above the Noise
18. UFO – A Conspiracy of Stars
19. Nelson – Peace Out
20. Skindred – Volume
21. Gun – Frantic
22. Thunder – Wonder Days
23. Kickin’ Valentina – Super Atomic
24. Mike Tramp – Nomad
25. Beat the Drag – What’s Your Damage
26. Dimino – Old Habits Die Hard
27. Cats in Space – Too Many Gods
28. Danko Jones – Fire Music
29. Monster Magnet – Cobras and Fire
30. Trivium – Silence in the Snow
31. Sweet and Lynch – Only to Rise
32. W.A.S.P. – Golgotha
33. Saxon – Battering Ram
34. Joel Hoekstra’s 13 – Dying to Live
35. The Battery Electric – The Heart and the Thrill
36. Outlaws and Moonshine – 1919
37. Nightwish – Endless Forms Most Beautiful
38. The Magic Lightnin’ Boys – The Magic Lightnin’ Boys
39. The Sword – High Country
40. Hungryheart – Dirty Italian Job
41. Tremonti – Cauterize
42. Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock – Spirit on a Mission
43. Motorhead – Bad Magic
44. Whitesnake – The Purple Album
45. Furyon – Lost Salvation
46. Diablo Blvd – Follow the Deadlights
47. Scorpions – Return to Forever
48. Christian Mistress – Christian Mistress
49. Mark Slaughter – Reflections in a Rear View Mirror
50. Bonafide – Denim Devils
Best Australian Releases of 2015
1. Cherry Grind – A Room With a View (Hard Rock)
2. The Lockhearts – Tales From the Seas Volumes 1 & 2 (Rock)
3. Lloyd Spiegel – Double Live Set (Blues)
4. Greg Nunan – Kites for Hurricanes (Blues)
5. Mazz-XT – At the Brink of Eternity (Hard Rock)
6. Marshall Okell – Sipping on Rocket Fuel (Blues)
7. Graham Greene – Down the Devil’s Road (Rock)
8. The Radio Sun – Heaven or Heartbreak (Melodic Rock)
9. Mammoth Mammoth – Volume IV – Hammered Again (Heavy Rock)
10. Dichotomy – Human Detox (Hard Rock)
Best EP’S of 2015
1. The Lockhearts – Tales From the Seas Volumes 1 & 2 (EP) 2. Nine Miles South – Nine Miles South (EP)
3. Doomsday Outlaw – Black River (EP)
4. Idlewar – Dig In (EP)
5. Hudson – Cast Out (EP)
Best Live Shows of 2015
1. Monsters of Rock Cruise featuring Europe, Black Star Riders, Y&T, Babylon A.D. and many more – Miami USA and the Bahamas – Review
2. Vain – The Whiskey a Go Go, Los Angeles California, USA – Review
3. Earthday Birthday featuring Slash, Sevendust, Tremonti and many more – Orlando Florida USA – Review
4. AC/DC with The Hives and Kingswood – Domain Stadium, Perth – Review
5. Stryper and Tyketto – Magic City Miami Florida, USA – Review
6. Kiss with The Dead Daisies – Perth Arena, Australia – Review
7. Rocklahoma 2015 – Pryor OK, USA – Review
8. Rock on the Range – Columbus OH, USA – Review
9. Soundwave 2015 – Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney, Australia – Review
10. Lillian Axe and Queensryche – Magic City Miami Florida, USA – Review
11. Chris Cornell – Perth Concert Hall, Perth, Australia – Review
12. The Darkness – Metro Fremantle, Australia – Review
13. Def Leppard with Live and Baby Animals – Red Hill Auditorium Perth, Australia – Review
14. Slash with Steel Panther – Melbourne, Australia – Review
15. Ace Frehley – Metros Fremantle, Fremantle, Australia – Review
16. Sebastian Bach – The Astor Theatre Perth, Australia – Review
17. Uriah Heep with Ragdoll and Legs Electric – The Astor Theatre Perth, Australia – Review
18. Helloween with Silent Knight – Capitol Theatre Perth, Australia – Review
19. West Coast Blues and Roots 2015 – Fremantle Park, Fremantle, Australia – Review
20. Billy Idol with Cheap Trick – Kings Park, Perth, Australia – Review
