For hard rock and metal, 2012 certainly wasn’t the best year that I can remember. In all honesty, there were only a few albums that came across my desk that really excited me.

Give thanks for the new stuff: There are just-released albums by the likes of DouBt, Keith Emerson, King Diamond and Tenacious D to dig into, long before the turkey, dressing and such are close to ready.

With album art that gives new meaning to the term “cock rock,” Tenacious D rises again from the ashes. With Rize of the Fenix, they’re destined to rule the rock world like the cocks of the walk.

Looks like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays. Time to dig into some new music, then!