With the end of 2024 approaching, regular visitors of my site know the drill – it’s time for the annual Top 10 releases/happenings post. So let’s not prolong this introduction any further and kick this year’s list off with…
10. Alien: Romulus
I’ll confess that my expectations for a new Alien movie were very low after Prometheus and Covenant, but much to my surprise, Alien: Romulus turned out to be the best entry in the franchise since Aliens back in 1986. I suppose it helped that Romulus took after the sense of dread of the first Alien movie atmosphere-wise, albeit with its own twist rather than being a full-on homage. Either way, I loved Alien: Romulus, and if what we know about a potential sequel is anything to go by, I’m cautiously looking forward to where the franchise goes from here.
9. Tesseract @ Tavara-asema, Tampere 02-09
While I was in Tampere for a completely unrelated event one weekend, I had the pleasure of finding out that Tesseract was dropping by there at the same time. So naturally I had to buy a ticket to the gig. While I did miss the release of their latest album (which I still have yet to listen to), the set was nonetheless very enjoyable, with some quintessential Tesseract tunes sprinkled in between what I assumed to be the new material.
8. Mushroomhead – Call the Devil
Say what you will about Mushroomhead after Jeffrey Nothing left the band, but I for one have an appreciation for the band’s current lineup of vocalists. Yes, none of them have a voice quite like Jeffrey, but then again, if any of them tried to mimic his unique style, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I do when they play to their own strengths. Jackie LaPonza in particular is an amazing addition to the band and her presence complements the offerings of Call the Devil flawlessly. Of course, the overall songwriting and production is great as well. Personal highlight songs of the album include Fall in Line, Hallelucination and Decomposition.
7. Dark River Festival 2024
I will confess that the only reason I was interested in this year’s Dark River Festival was Mushroomhead, but it was by no means the only band I saw during the one day I was there. The overall lineup was quite impressive this year, and I’m glad I got to indulge in the offerings for about 7 hours.
6. Leprous – Melodies of Atonement
Leprous is an interesting band in their ability to renew their sound while still distinctly sounding like Leprous – a display which their latest album, Melodies of Atonement, continues flawlessly. What’s especially interesting about Melodies of Atonement is that it carries some vibes of earlier Leprous works but isn’t a mere pastiche. There’s a sense of simultaneous nostalgia and freshness to this album that’s hard to put into words, but that’s only a good thing in my book. Highlights include Atonement, Limbo and Like a Sunken Ship.
5. Wheel – Charismatic Leaders
Wheel is one of those bands that are just consistently awesome. Their latest studio offering, Charismatic Leaders, is a perfect showcase of the raw talent contained within the band’s instrumentalists. And James’ vocals naturally don’t disappoint either. While the sound here is quintessentially Wheel, Charismatic Leaders pulls no punches and displays just how solid this unit has gotten over the years. Opener Empire is a highlight of the album, along with Porcelain and The Freeze. Speaking of Wheel, another thing related to them that I quite enjoyed this year was…
4. Wheel @ On the Rocks, Helsinki 11-02
Yes, Yours Truly saw Wheel live for the first time in the past year. And boy, what an experience it was. Especially the size of the moshpit during Vultures was a delightful sight given the size of the venue. Support act Rioghan was also pretty good.
3. Haken @ Savoy, Helsinki 09-04
It’s no secret: I love Haken. So much so that I absolutely have to catch them live every time they come to Finland, which they did on their “Evening With” European tour. The set was their longest yet, with almost 3 hours worth of show and the live performance of their latest studio album Fauna in its entirety. And it was well worth the money investment. Too bad the venue was seated.
2. Balatro
Balatro was arguably the biggest surprise hit indie game of the year, and it’s no surprise why it took the gaming world by storm. I had the pleasure of discovering its demo by happenstance towards the end of last year, and it captivated me in a way not many other video games have managed (with the exception of Doom). Balatro is an incredibly addictive poker roguelike that’s bound to keep me entertained for a while yet.
1. Dream Theater @ Metro Areena, Helsinki 11-06
I’m sure I’m not the only one who was positively surprised by the news of Mike Portnoy having returned to Dream Theater last year. Following the announcement, I turned a keen eye to their tour dates and was pleased to find that they did indeed drop by my home country on their 40th anniversary tour. And as someone who had last seen the prog legends live a whole decade prior, I was not disappointed. With a setlist full of bangers and top-notch production, this show was hands down the best live experience of the year.
On that note, thanks for reading and have a great 2025.
Santtu Pesonen 