Ikon - Love, Hate And Sorrow

Ikon - Love, Hate And Sorrow 2CD
(2009) Nile

I've been waiting for ages on a new studio album from Ikon. Finally it has arrived. And what an album! It includes the singles "Amongst The Runes" and "A Line On A Dark Day" (well "A Line On A Dark Day" is the first song on the "League Of Nations" EP, but never mind that). It also includes a live favourite featured on "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams Volume 2", "All Dephts Of Despair". I love this album, it's sort of a new style from Ikon. There's guitars everywhere!
And I haven't even mentioned the acoustic bonus CD yet. I just love the acoustic "Stalag 13" and "Torn Apart"!

Assemblage 23 - Compass

Assemblage 23 -
Compass 2CD (2009)
Metropolis/Accession

Finally! The new A23. This album takes off where A23's last album "Meta" left us. Slower and more varied songs. Get the limited 2CD version, some of the exclusive songs are among the best Tom ever wrote!

Jim Steinman - Bad For Good

Jim Steinman -
Bad For Good (1981)
Epic/Sony

This album was supposed to be Meat Loafs follow up to "Bat Out Of Hell". Jim decided to released it as a solo album instead. And what an album it is!
I really like this kind of bombastic, over the top rock. As Jim once said "If you don’t go over the top, you’ll never see what’s on the other side". Almost all the songs on this album was later recorded by Meat Loaf on various albums.

Johnny Cash - God Love Murder Life

Johnny Cash -
God Love Murder Life
4CD (2007)
Sony BMG

This box was originally released in 2000 as a 3CD set. The tracklist for the forth CD "Life" was completed just days before Johnny passed away in 2007.
My favourite CD is, of course, the third "Murder". But I like the whole box. It contains a lot of tracks not usually included on Johnny Cash-samplers. I also like the idea of four CD's with songs of four different themes. Too bad they forgot a travelling/train theme, because Johnny's songs about trains are among his best!

Massiv In Mensch - Meanwhile Back In The Jungle

Massiv In Mensch -
Meanwhile Back In The Jungle (2008)
Artoffact

This album is a must have because of the Massiv In Mensch/Mind.In.A.Box collaboration "Supermassive Gravity". There are some other cool tracks, too, but this is an outstanding track!