Odyssey’s Top Ten Albums of 2017!

Best of 2017

Like every year, we have been inundated with tons of killer, new Metal in 2017. Thankfully, we here at Metal Nexus have the freedom to share what we personally liked over the course of the year. No sales numbers. No record label affiliation or pressure. No sub-genre infighting. No BS. Just an honest list of what struck us individually. Like past years, my list is as broad as my musical tastes and covers everything from instrumentals, to Tech Death, to Power Metal, to Thrash and even a top-notch Progressive Rock band. Hopefully, some of my favorites will become yours and will propagate the audience for each and every band listed below. I sincerely hope that 2018 brings bands and albums this good. Enjoy and continue expanding our Metal family!

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Review Of Cellador’s “Off The Grid”

Cellador is:

Chris Petersen – Vocals, Guitar
James Pickett – Bass
Diego Valadez – Keyboards
Nick McCallister – Drums

Off the Grid (March 10, 2017)

Almost a year ago, shortly after joining the staff I jumped at the chance to cover Cellador for our State of the Art: Colorado series. While the band had started under the name Aposte in Omaha, NE back in 2003 by guitarist and vocalist Chris Peterson, the name was changed to Cellador just over a year later. Once releasing The Burning Blue and Leaving All Behind they caught the ears of Metal Blade Records who immediately signed the band and released Enter Deception in 2006. The album defined the band as one of the best emerging Modern Power Metal bands but by 2009 Cellador cracked, leaving many members behind before moving to Denver, CO in search of their much deserved star. After five years of band reanimation, Honor Forth was finally released in 2011 and quickly became the band’s defining album, launching Cellador to new heights and putting them on major bills around the globe. By 2015 and early into 2016, the band had stabilized and again went into the studio; taking their time to assure a fitting follow up to, now classic, Honor Forth. With the ink barely dry on their contract with Scarlet Records in hand and being under recently acquired new management, Cellador is set to charge their way directly into the Metal throne room once Off the Grid is released into the wild on March 10, 2017!

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2017’s Most Anticipated Albums!

With 2016 just barely behind us we are looking at the upcoming releases in 2017. Some of these albums already have specific release dates and titles and some haven’t been announced yet. These albums are not only by bands that we like but a release in which the band is reuniting or hasn’t released an album in a while, or just an album we think will have a huge impact on the band’s career. The albums that follow are in no specific order and our staff has all had input on the albums in which they think are the most anticipated of 2017.

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State of the Art: Cellador

*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*

This month’s State is Colorado!

CelladorLogo2

On this, the second week of our State of the Art: Colorado and in the vein of our coverage of International Guitar Month comes the resurgence of the band Cellador. The band was started in Omaha, NE in 2003 under the name Aposte by guitarist and vocalist Chris Petersen. By 2004 the band had been renamed and released their first, self-recorded demo EP “The Burning Blue”. The following year, they released “Leaving All Behind” which caught the attention of Metal Blade Records who signed Cellador and quickly released “Enter Deception” in 2006. This album was hailed by fans and critics alike, often comparing them to DragonForce and the like. By 2009 this stellar, established band had splintered due to differing interests and desired directions. With only a few original members left and an uncertain record contract, Cellador packed up and moved to Denver, CO, where they remain today, in search of a bigger stage for their musical inclinations. After a five year hiatus, interviewing potential band members to regrow the band, “Honor Forth” was finally released in 2011. This vaulted the band to new heights and put them on festivals, tours and shows with notable bands such as Trivium, All That Remains, Bullet For My Valentine, Marty Friedman, Queensryche, Hatchet, Exmortus, Huntress and many, many others. To date, they have extensively toured the United States, Mexico, Canada and even played the Loud Park Festival in Japan. Taking their time in the studio over the course of 2015 and early 2016, their much-anticipated new release is due out sometime in 2016. With a cohesive, new lineup and management, Cellador is ready to set the world alight once again!

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