Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com In this week’s edition of the Loudwire Top 20 Countdown, there’s a new No. 1. Congrats to Shinedown , who make a big move from No. 3 to No. 1, leapfrogging Soundgarden to take the top spot with ‘Enemies’ off their ‘Amaryllis’ album. Soundgarden’s ‘Been Away Too Long’ may have to wait a little longer for countdown supremacy now that they’ve been surpassed by Shinedown, but their current hit is holding strong at No. 2. Last week’s chart topper, Stone Sour ‘s ‘Absolute Zero,’ slips back down the charts to No. 3, but still remains a favorite song at radio. Guitar great Slash and his band, featuring Myles Kennedy , inch up one spot closer to the top of the charts, with ‘Standing in the Sun’ planting its flag in the No. 4 spot on this week’s countdown. Meanwhile, another former chart-topper, Three Days Grace ‘s ‘Chalk Outline,’ may no longer be comfy at No. 1, but their descent isn’t exactly a rapid one as the group slides down one more spot to No. 5 this week. Outside of the Top 5, Chevelle ‘s ‘Same Old Trip,’ Five Finger Death Punch ‘s ‘The Pride’ and 3 Doors Down ‘s ‘One Light’ all tied for the major mover of the week, scaling up three spots apiece to numbers 10, 11 and 15 respectively. On the down side, Deftones ‘ ‘Tempest’ takes the biggest tumble falling from No. 11 to No. 14 on the Loudwire Top 20 Countdown. Plus, we’ve got a new debut this week from Adelitas Way , as their latest single ‘Alive’ announces its presence. Check out the Top 20 songs below and be sure to tune in to Loudwire Radio with host Mike “Sandman” Sanders this weekend and turn it all the way up. Loudwire Radio Top 20 Songs of the Week: 20. Adelitas Way, ‘Alive’ 19. Nonpoint, ‘Left for You’ 18. Black Keys, ‘Little Black Submarines’ 17. Halestorm, ‘I Miss the Misery’ 16. Kid Rock, ‘Let’s Ride’ 15. 3 Doors Down, ‘One Light’ 14. Deftones, ‘Tempest’ 13. All That Remains, ‘Stand Up’ 12. Green Day, ‘Let Yourself Go’ 11. Five Finger Death Punch, ‘The Pride’ 10. Chevelle, ‘Same Old Trip’ 9. Linkin Park ‘Lost in the Echo’ 8. Volbeat ‘Heaven Nor Hell’ 7. Avenged Sevenfold, ‘Carry On’ 6. In This Moment, ‘Blood’ 5. Three Days Grace, ‘Chalk Outline’ 4. Slash, ‘Standing in the Sun’ 3. Stone Sour, ‘Absolute Zero’ 2. Soundgarden, ‘Been Away Too Long’ 1. Shinedown, ‘Enemies’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/loudwire-radio-station-list/” title=”See Which Stations Air Loudwire Radio” align=”center”]
Jim Dyson, Getty Images / Michael N. Todaro, Getty Images / Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com The year 2012 turned out to be a strong one for rock albums. We saw the highly anticipated return of '90s favorites Soundgarden , the continued brilliance of acts like Deftones and Stone Sour , the emergence of females in hard rock courtesy of Halestorm and Dead Sara , among others, to go along with memorable releases from a number of other rock acts. Unfortunately, all of our favorite albums couldn't make this list, but after much debate among our entire staff, we've come up with our official picks for the best rock albums of the year. If metal is more your speed, don't worry, we've got a separate list for you headbangers. But for now, strap in and turn it up, as we count down the 10 Best Rock Albums of 2012: ? 10 'Dark Adrenaline' Lacuna Coil ? ? Lacuna Coil's 'Dark Adrenaline' album, released early on in 2012, finds the band rediscovering their gothic roots while expanding their sound in the process. 'Trip the Darkness' was a dark sounding gem off the record, and the song got an extra boost when a remix by Dillinger Escape Plan 's Ben Weinman appeared on the 'Underworld: Awakening' soundtrack. 'Fire' showed off a more radio-friendly side, while 'End of Time' served as the band's late year ballad. The disc also included an interesting cover of R.E.M.'s 'Losing My Religion.' Listen to 'Trip the Darkness' ? ? 9 'King Animal' Soundgarden ? ? The promise of Soundgarden's 2009 reunion was finally realized in 2012, as the band released their 'King Animal' album in November. The grunge goliath's first new album since 1996 proves that Soundgarden are still on top of their game. 'Been Away Too Long' became a major hit at radio, while tracks like 'Non-State Actor' and 'Worse Dreams' generated plenty of buzz in advance of the album. Chris Cornell 's voice is as strong as ever, and the full band feels as though they haven't lost a step. Welcome back, Soundgarden, and kudos for delivering one of the 10 best rock albums of 2012. Listen to 'Been Away Too Long' ? ? 8 'Amarylllis' Shinedown ? ? Shinedown had a tough task in matching the success of 2008's 'The Sound of Madness,' but they succeeded in cranking out another hits-filled collection with 'Amaryllis,' certainly showing that there is no slowing down this juggernaut. Both 'Bully' and 'Unity' took the band back to the top of the charts. And the group got great mileage out of 'Enemies' and 'I'll Follow You,' making for a very successful 2012. Look for the output to continue, with the single 'Miracle' lined up to hit radio in early 2013. Listen to 'Bully' ? ? 7 'Born Villain' Marilyn Manson ? ? For longtime fans of Marilyn Manson, 'Born Villain' provided a much welcome creative resurgence. The lead single 'No Reflection' was just the sort of gritty-meets-groovy rocker that the singer built his career upon, and 'Slo-Mo-Tion' and 'Overneath the Path of Mystery' show the true depth of the record. In addition, Manson got some notice for including the bonus cover of 'You're So Vain' with his longtime pal Johnny Depp. Listen to 'No Reflection' ? ? 6 'Harakiri' Serj Tankian ? ? The man of many musical inspirations, System of a Down singer Serj Tankian found his latest solo disc embracing rock, punk and new wave, among other genres. 'Harakiri' earns its spot as one of the 10 best rock albums of 2012 by delivering socially-minded statements through infectious songs. 'Figure It Out' is an in-your-face track that pulls no punches, while 'Cornucopia' showcases Tankian's versatile talents as a musician. But the standout cut just might be the title track, which features a chorus as catchy as any in System of a Down's catalog. Listen to 'Figure It Out' ? ? 5 'The Strange Case of …' Halestorm ? ? Halestorm went from being the “next big rock band” to fulfilling that prophecy with 'The Strange Case Of…' The group rocketed up the charts in early 2012 with the single 'Love Bites … So Do I' and the attitude that Lzzy Hale provided set the tone for the rest of the disc. They enjoyed crossover pop success with 'Here's to Us,' but once again embraced their hard-rock fans with the scorching track 'I Miss the Misery,' which shows off Hale at her belting best. Listen to 'Love Bites (So Do I)' ? ? 4 'Yellow & Green' Baroness ? ? Baroness may not get as much attention as some of the bigger names on this list, but the band delivered one of the best front-to-back efforts of 2012. The two-disc collection 'Yellow & Green' features such standout tracks as 'March to the Sea,' 'Take My Bones Away' and 'Board Up the House.' Unfortunately, the band wasn't able to support the album as much as they has planned, as a terrifying bus crash led to major injuries and kept Baroness off the road for much of the year. Listen to 'Take My Bones Away' ? ? 3 'Dead Sara' Dead Sara ? ? Looking for the next big rock band? It's worth a look at Dead Sara and their self-titled breakout album. The group garnered notice for their single 'Weatherman,' which features Emily Armstrong's powerhouse vocals and some terrific guitar work from Siouxsie Medley, but the disc as a whole is great. Second single 'We Are What You Say' is another notable track, while songs like the chilling ballads 'Dear Love' and 'Sorry for It All' should deserve a longer look in 2013. Listen to 'Weatherman' ? ? 2 'House of Gold & Bones, Pt. 1' Stone Sour ? ? You can't have a Best Rock Albums of 2012 list without Stone Sour's ambitious record 'House of Gold & Bones, Part 1.' Singer Corey Taylor got things rolling with the double-single 'Gone Sovereign' and 'Absolute Zero,' both of which set a hard-driving tone for the disc. Meanwhile, 'Taciturn' shows that the band can hit hard even when not rocking out at 11, providing one of the more moving songs on the record. We have no doubt that 'House of Gold & Bones,' with the second half of the double album coming next year, will play a major role in 2013. Listen to 'Gone Sovereign' ? ? 1 'Koi No Yokan' Deftones ? ? Deftones have found their creative rebound in recent years, and they're making sure to pounce while it's going good. Fresh off the critically acclaimed 'Diamond Eyes' album, the band continues to rock at the top of their game. 'Koi No Yokan' hits on all cylinders with cuts like the single 'Tempest,' and standout tracks 'Leathers,' 'Poltergeist' and 'Rosemary.' With the disc just arriving in mid-November, it looks as though Deftones will have plenty to celebrate over the next year – starting with being named Loudwire's Best Rock Album of 2012. Listen to 'Tempest' ? ? What's Your Favorite Rock Album of 2012? There you have it — the 10 Best Rock Albums of 2012 — at least in our opinion. But that's why we have a comments section. You can let us know if we hit it right on the head, if there's any glaring omissions, or if there's an album you think has no right even making the cut. Let us know what you think in the comments section below. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-metal-albums-of-2012/” title=”Next: 10 Best Metal Albums of 2012″ align=”center”] ?
OzzfestJapan.com Ozzfest may leave quite an impression on Japan next year. The longtime hard rock and metal festival turned a few heads earlier this year when it was announced that Slipknot and Black Sabbath would headline the two-night destination festival in Japan. Now comes word that four more heavy hitters have signed on to play. A new concert poster reveals that Slash and Deftones will join the May 11 lineup, which has Slipknot as the headliner, while Tool and Stone Sour will get a chance to open for Black Sabbath on May 12. These are significant “gets” for Sharon Osbourne and the Ozzfest organizers. For one, it’s been the rare occasion that both of Corey Taylor ‘s bands are on the same bill, and he’ll get to play both days of the festival with the decidedly different sounding Slipknot and Stone Sour. Plus, Slipknot only have committed to a handful of dates for 2013, with Ozzfest being one of them. Meanwhile, after a long delay between discs, fans have been clamoring for new Tool music. The band has quietly been working on material over the past year, and the revelation that the group signed on for the show could signify that they may have new music to support when they return to the stage. Ozzfest was a major touring festival from 1996-2007, but has opted for either single-destination stops or minor runs in recent years. This will mark the first time the festival has taken place in Japan. The event is scheduled for May 11-12 at the Makuhari Messe Arena outside of Tokyo. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/black-sabbath-continue-recording-new-album-reveal-vinyl-box-set-details/” title=”Next: Black Sabbath Release Vinyl Box Set Details” align=”center”]
Roadrunner Stone Sour have just released a new video for ‘Absolute Zero,’ their first single off ‘House of Gold & Bones – Part 1.’ The tripped-out video documents a man trapped inside a bizarre graffiti-covered room with images of Stone Sour lining the walls. The clip for ‘Absolute Zero’ definitely offers some interesting creativity as the main character is stuck in some sort of other-worldly realm. Within this realm, two versions of Stone Sour perform the track throughout the area; one colored grey and the other colored gold. The man is presented with a choice, represented by two buttons in the respective colors of Stone Sour’s dueling identities. We won’t give away his decision, but it is sure to stir up the imagination of fans. “‘Absolute Zero’ is the anti-hero anthem of House of Gold & Bones – Part One,” Corey Taylor tells Rolling Stone . “It essentially lets you know that the hero isn’t perfect, but he will do whatever is necessary. The video is loosely based on the fact that in the short story, the hero ends up in a very strange world and he has to figure out what’s going on and what he’ll do.” Stone Sour are set to begin a comprehensive world tour beginning Nov. 25 in Paris, France. Head on over to RollingStone.com to check out the band’s new video for ‘Absolute Zero.’ [button href=”http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/stone-sour-warp-reality-in-absolute-zero-premiere-20121114″ title=”Watch Stone Sour’s New Video For ‘Absolute Zero'” align=”center”]
Roadrunner Records In this week’s edition of Loudwire’s Top 20 Countdown, Stone Sour have moved up to take the the top spot with their single ‘Absolute Zero’ off of their brand new record ‘House of Gold & Bones Part 1.’ After several weeks at No. 1, Three Days Grace drop down to the No. 2 spot ‘Chalk Outline’ off of their new album ‘Transit of Venus.’ Soundgarden climb a spot to come in at third with their single ‘Been Away Too Long,’ while Shinedown and their latest single ‘Enemies’ move up a spot to come in at No 4. Slash ’s new single ‘Standing in the Sun’ featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators round out the top five on this week’s list. Other songs on the list include Linkin Park ’s ‘Lost in the Echo,’ In This Moment ’s new track ‘Blood’ and Halestorm ‘s latest single ‘I Miss the Misery.’ The Offspring return to the countdown with their new single ‘Turning Into You.’ Check out the Top 20 songs below and be sure to tune in to Loudwire Radio this weekend to blast these tracks at full volume. Loudwire Radio Top 20 Songs of the Week: 20. The Offspring, ‘Turning Into You’ 19. Gaslight Anthem, ‘45’ 18. Five Finger Death Punch, Pride’ 17. Kid Rock, ‘Let’s Ride’ 16. The Black Keys, ‘Little Black Submarines’ 15. Chevelle, ‘Same Old Trip’ 14. Volbeat, ‘Heaven Nor Hell’ 13. All That Remains, ‘Stand Up (Stand Up)’ 12. Deftones, ‘Tempest’ 11. Avenged Sevenfold, ‘Carry On’ 10. Green Day ‘Let Yourself Go’ 09. Papa Roach, ‘Still Swingin’ 08. Halestorm, ‘I Miss the Misery’ 07. In This Moment, ‘Blood’ 06. Linkin Park, ‘Lost In The Echo’ 05. Slash, ‘Standing In The Sun’ 04. Shinedown, ‘Enemies’ 03. Soundgarden, ‘Been Away Too Long’ 02. Three Days Grace, ‘Chalk Outline’ 01. Stone Sour, ‘Absolute Zero’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/loudwire-radio-station-list/” title=”See Which Stations Air Loudwire Radio” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Slipknot / Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor has heard the question before, and he’s getting a little tired about those asking about Slipknot’s future . The vocalist tells Metal Sucks that he feels no matter how often he explains his stance on the band’s continuation, it’s not truly taken to heart. Taylor tells Metal Sucks, “It’s like the more we try to explain it, no one hears the answer. It’s like they’re waiting for the answer they want to hear. We go out of our way to make sure our fans know everything, but at the end of the day, the fans have got to trust us. The worse it gets, the more we want to push away — we’re still dealing with the fact that our brother is dead. It can get hectic when all that people want to know about is when we’re getting back together. Don’t they realize that we’re never, really, ever going to get back together? One of our founding members is gone. It’ll never be the same, y’know? People don’t understand it. I try not to be bitter and lash out, but it’s getting harder and harder. Brutal, man.” During his interview, Taylor weighed in on several other topics, including the controversial political commentaries of Megadeth ‘s Dave Mustaine . The singer says, “The thing that bothers me is no one should ever put a microphone in front of Dave Mustaine’s face unless he’s on stage. Every time he says something, I cringe. People have asked me — there was this big thing on Twitter where people we’re going, ‘Dave Mustaine makes me ashamed to be a metalhead,’ and I’m like, ‘Screw that! For every Mustaine, there’s a Hetfield . They’re his beliefs, let him talk s— all he wants, and don’t let him discourage you.’ Just because there’s one guy who doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about, doesn’t mean there aren’t twenty more who do know.” Taylor also revealed that he’s doing his best to stay healthy on the road, though his register seems to get lower as the years go on. When asked if he thought he was morphing into Pantera ‘s Phil Anselmo , Taylor explained, “Umm… not really, no. I can walk upright, so I’m fine. I think Phil has a lot more problems than a deep voice, let’s put it that way. But my voice has been the same timbre for 15 years, so I’m not worried. Plus, I don’t drink any more — I don’t smoke any less, but I don’t drink anymore, so I’m trying to stay as healthy as I can.” These days, you can hear Taylor and his low register fronting Stone Sour on their newly released, ‘ House of Gold & Bones, Pt. 1 ‘ album. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/corey-taylor-says-slipknot-are-on-hiatus/” title=”Next: Corey Taylor Says Slipknot Are on Hiatus” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Stone Sour just dropped their ‘ House of Gold & Bones Part 1 ‘ album and singer Corey Taylor is currently working on the second half of the release, so where does that leave his other band, Slipknot ? The vocalist says that after touring the U.S. this past summer, things will scale back for the immediate future. He told Artisan News Service in a video interview (seen below), “We’re doing a couple of shows next year, but that’s about it right now. It’s on hiatus.” Taylor has also been plotting a comic book series and is contemplating turning the two albums into corresponding films. In other Corey Taylor news, the singer talks about his favorite tattoos in a new video clip, which can be seen below. The vocalist says of his general rule for getting tattoos, “There’s kind of a common theme of balance. You can’t have the good without the bad. You can’t have the light without the dark. For me, it’s been about having two ends of the spectrum.” Taylor picked the tattoos he has on each forearm as his favorites, with two recognizable celebrities that have served as inspirations getting the ink treatment. To see who they are and hear Taylor’s explanation as to why he got them tattooed, check out the video below. Watch Corey Taylor Discuss Slipknot’s Current Status Watch Corey Taylor Describe His Favorite Tattoos [button href=”http://loudwire.com/slipknot-confirmed-to-headline-first-day-of-2013-download-festival/” title=”Next: Slipknot to Headline 2013 Download Festival” align=”center”]