On To 2011!!

I'm bored at work so here is a quick little list of some albums I'm looking forward to in 2011, organized by band name. Of course this is just a preliminary report, and nothing to be taken too seriously. It's just my wish list.

I know there are a ton more bands releasing new music, especially in the underground. This is just a quick list I found without too much research or effort spent. I guess you could call this my wish list for mainstream (or at least semi-mainstream) metal acts.

1. 3 - TBA: My favorite neo-prog band out there. 2009's Revisions didn't impress me as much as their previous release, The End Is Begun. I hope that this new album will be a return to form.
2. Alice Cooper - The Night Shift: I want to just to say 'Come on, it's Alice Cooper!' but his career has been a bit turbulent in the past decade, but Along Came A Spider was an ok release, so I await what he has in store for us next. Plus he has the best damn live show I've ever seen. Period.
3. Black Tide - Black Tide: I loved their debut album, Light From Above, and their set at 2008's Ozzfest. These guys were the find of my year back then, and I still hold to it. That album still gets a heavy rotation on my stereo, and I'm assuming this one will as well.
4. Dream Theater - TBA: Solid gold whatever they put out. I would love something like Scenes From A Memory (my #2 all-time favorite album), but I will accept pretty much anything. Not having Mike Portnoy will be a bit of a set-back however...
5. Cruachan - Blood on the Black Robe: This is one that is on the edge for me, I like some of their songs/albums and not others. I will wait to hear more about this one before I get too excited.
6. Kyuss Lives! - TBA: While I'm not a mega-Kyuss fan, it will be nice to hear something new from the act, and to see what pieces of their follow-up bands they bring into the music.
7. Lazarus A.D. - Black Rivers Flow: I really liked their debut album, The Onslaught. I thought it as if Dio had joined a thrash band. I hope this one to be more of the same. (Actually I just got this one, so expect a review here soon)
8. Manowar - Hammer of the Gods: One of the first metal bands I was ever shown (thanks Dad), Manowar will always have a special place in my heart.
9. Rush - Clockwork Angels: Come on, It's Rush!
10. Stratovarius - Elysium: I honestly haven't listened too intently to anything Stratovarius has recently released, and my experiences with their music are iffy - I tend to jump around in their career aimlessly - but just hearing that this group will have something new out excites me a bit.
11. Stryper - The Covering: I honestly have never been a big fan of Stryper (hell I don't even know if I've ever heard more then 5 songs by them), but I loves me a cover album. So I'm going to get this one and give it a listen. Who knows, there may be a hidden gem in there somewhere.
12. Stormwarrior - Heathen Warrior: I really liked this band's latest release, Heading Northe. If it's the more of the same, I will be a happy man.
13. Turisas - Stand Up And Fight: Love this band, love all of their releases. It seems this album incorporates more symphonic elements in it, but I am 100% ok with that as long as it rocks as hard as either Battle Metal or The Varangian Way does. Plus the album artwork is awesome.
14. Wizard – Of Wariwulfs And Bluotvarwes: Good ol' power metal at it's finest. I love the epicness of this group's songs. Along with Stormwarrior, Wizard is one of the best new (new being a loose term) power metal bands I've found recently.