Okay... So, I know I've missed the boat on this one by (exactly) 6 months. But, in any case, it was a lot of work. And I'm glad it's finished. As a side note, it wasn't intentional that there are a whopping 22 metal albums on this list. 2010 just happened to be a very metal year. In fact, I believe that this has been the best year of the new millenium for music. I'm incredibly impressed. And that's why I decided to review 50 instead of 25. Hope you enjoy.
1. Andrew W.K. – Close Calls With Brick Walls
2010 saw the American release of this album but most of the tracks hit the light of day in Korea and Japan about 4 years ago. What
Andrew W.K. has done here is not only challenge people’s notion of what modern rock should be but he’s also channeled everything that has ever been great about music in general: melody, chaos, angst, joy, promise, letdown, reward, virtuosity and simplicity and molded them into an unstoppable ball of love and all things poignant. The new version of this record comes with “Mother of Mankind”, a host of pleasing B-sides and rarities. But even the album itself is quite lengthy and I think it would be a sin for any 1 song to be cut. It is a perfect thing. Like jello except made of eargasms and roast pork. Not only do I consider this the top of 2010. But, to me, this is one of the 10 best records of all time.
2. Burzum – Belus
After something like a 14-year stint in prison, Varg has returned with an album of music that would almost make one believe that he rather stepped out of the house for an hour to buy cigarettes. Perhaps, preserved in a Norwegian prison, the outside influences of inferior music which would, in time, make his genre a mockery of itself didn’t have the upportunity to mar his songwriting. What we get to hear is a similar tone to
Burzum’s pre-prison albums (his albums during incarceration consisted solely of ambient music) but with a decidedly greater amount of wisdom. This album has the magical properties of putting one in a trance and turning them into a zombie… I really wish I was kidding….. In any case… BEST BLACK METAL ALBUM EVER!!!!!
3. Ceremony - Rohnert Park
I got to see
Ceremony for the first time in Korea of all places and it was a totally moving and awe-inspiring experience. This album is sort of a departure from their early material because it doesn’t have the sound or the speed of a grind/punk/fastcore album. But it still, somehow, IS all of those things. The songs are (often) a slow crunch with clear, caustic drums and bass that sounds like the clanking of aluminum gates. In addition, the guitars sound more metallic like those heard on Shellac albums and the lyrics are more audible; which is crucial because I really feel that they have something to say on this album.
4. Eminem – Recovery
Recovery indeed. You won’t find any silly “party rap” on this offering from Marshall Mathers. Rather, you’ll find a lethal combination of brutal honesty, humble angst and just incredible songwriting and production. This is not an album where you’re jogging through potential single after potential single waiting desperately for a chorus. The choruses are not the pillar of these songs. It’s the content. I think this is the REAL Slim Shady. Over the last few years, I heard the other Slim Shady’s and they were just imitating. I honestly feel that the REAL Slim Shady has just stood up… and in a big way. His ability to simultaneously beg for forgiveness and tell you to go fuck yourself makes him a legend in his own time. And this record is 5 Stars straight up.
5. Tim Kasher - The Game of Monogamy
To me, Tim has crafted a perfect balance between the bombastic sounds and anarchic circus of his band
Cursive with the folkier and more directed music of his cherished ensemble
The Good Life and created a sound which is both obscure and heartfelt. The rapturous orchestrations heard on this album are subtle and well thought out. But it’s the songs themselves that take Kasher over the edge. This personal narrative finds him at his most vulnerable and repentant and in addition, finds his character at a certain type of peace in it’s resolve. A well-told story and a marvelous album.
6. Cephalic Carnage – Misled By Certainty
Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this shit? I love these guys. I love the humor. I love the technicality. And I love that they’re well aware of how good they are and how wonderfully ridiculous the grind genre is and they still don’t care. This band could be playing any style in the world and they’d still be iron beastmasters because the truth is that they’re just excellent songwriters. The sound of this album is also a bit of a transition from the incredible (if frantic) “Xenosapien”. Most agree that while the songwriting was at its peak on their previous effort, the focus was on expanding technicality even if it occasionally impaired listenability. I feel that “Misled by Certainty” draws that line and it draws it like fucking Renoir.
7. Angelspit – Hideous and Perfect
This has been a good year for the practice of naming albums in a way which distinctly sums up their content. This record is no exception. Undoubtedly my favorite Industrial act, Australia’s own
Angelspit are real risk takers in their field in that they play hard-edged electronic music which is often too socio-political and thought-provoking for the average darkwave dancefloor full of Swedes and skinny girls with foot-high leather platforms, liquid latex and gas masks. “Hideous and Perfect” is probably their best album. Or at least, it’s the one which I believe has the most blunt and important message. If this band grew up in Harlem, they might have been gangster rappers… gangster rappers who violently preach about the economy and the hypocrisy of fashion.
8. Korn – Korn III: Remember Who You Are
Let’s be frank.
Korn have not had a “Great” album since “Issues”, and I even had “issues” with
that record (sorry). That’s not to say they’re not a great band because they always have been.
Korn was my first musical crush. When I was 12, “Life is Peachy” fucking destroyed me. And it’s hard not to draw parallels between that album and this one. The music is chock full of kick-heavy drumming, chunky-ass bass and flubbery, crusty guitars, detuned to Hades. The lyrics are directed and not one song on the album seems contrived or unnecessary. Working with Ross Robinson again, I believe that
Korn has rediscovered the core of what makes them what they are (there ya go). And what comes out of it is an album which is both compelling and memorable and it’s something I’ve been truly waiting for… It was worth the wait.
9. Bruce Springsteen – The Promise
It’s tough to call this a “new” record since all of the material was recorded by the
E Street Band between 1975 and 1978. But, as it stands, This 2 –disc collection does encapsulate quite a number of tunes that I’ve never heard before. To be completely honest, with the exception of a couple of songs like “The Promise” and “Little Things My Baby Does” I can see why many of these songs never surfaced on the “Darkness on the Edge of Town” Record. That said, it’s a
Bruce Springsteen album. The best song that
Lady Gaga (or some other hip-star butt-pirate) will ever write will never be as good as a song Bruce writes on the crapper with a toothache.
10. Pendulum – Immersion
I wouldn’t usually be the first guy to suggest an electronic album. In my opinion, most electronica is meant to be listened to in… A: trashy balls-on-nose night clubs
or B: Blasting through the speakers of overly suped-up cars of first-generation immigrants from the Arabian Peninsula. But
Pendulum’s music truly exceeds expectations. Using cinematic and (in this case) aquatic imagery in the soundscape,
Pendulum has created a surreal and textural aural experience. The collaborations (including
In Flames) are an eclectic mix and it’s a little hard to imagine something else in this genre having such a wide-lapped nature to it. This is a beautiful album.
11. Decrepit Birth - Polarity
Jesus, Mary and Joseph in a fukkin’ Winebago!?!? This album really came out of left field. Polarity indeed!! In the past,
Decrepit Birth has served an almost singular purpose: speed. It’s difficult to imagine a group playing with more crisp speed and intensity than on the first couple offerings from this band. I suppose after you’ve been at it for a while, you start to see the bigger picture. This album delves deeply into the world of the progressive, utilizing acoustic guitars and jazz modes in moderation with the band’s signature discordance and technicality. But it’s the overall feel of this album that grabs me. It tells me of the time and effort involved in crafting these songs and the whole thing just feels downright congealed.
12. Las Amigas de Nadie
– Eres Nadie EP
Las Amigas de Nadieis a 5-piece all-female rock band from Lima, Peru. I had the pleasure of seeing them play once and I was truly wowed by their energy and genuinely catchy songs. Parallels with
CSS are far too easy to draw. But the more I listen to their material (the small amount of it that there is) the more I realize that their sound is one that I literally haven’t heard before. And that’s rare. If you’re interested in more like a whole album worth of material, certain illegal channels will get you your fix. As it is, your chances of getting a copy of this little gem are slim to none unless you get yourself down to Lima and check out the music scene… And I firmly suggest that you do.
13. Bad Religion – The Dissent of Man
You know how there’s that one cereal that’s always delicious, even if you’re not in the mood for cereal? That’s how I feel about
Bad Religion. The fact that they’re still making thoughtful and pertinent punk rock records after 30 years is a tribute to both the cohesion between the band and their ability to write important and nicely orchestrated songs. I think you’ll find that this record is one of the upswings of their impressive and prolific career. A subtle album, it draws on rock and roll as well as folk music to deliver its message and might not be an epiphany to someone who thinks of
Bad Religion’s sound as determined by “Suffer”. That said, I think all the songs are really strong and I like both the pacing of the record and the fact that it doesn’t wear itself out towards the end. And, I assure you, you’ll get your fair share of “Aah!”s.
14. Powerglove – Saturday Morning Apocalypse
Bottle joy, why don’t you???
Powerglove has, up until now, been known as a Nintendocore band. This term is used to refer to bands that play either music from actual video games or in the style of video games. Taking a break from their both technical and amusing antics on previous efforts,
Powerglove bakes up for us the musical equivalent of fresh spoon bread. This album consists of metallic orchestrations of Saturday morning cartoon themes. Even coming from an untalented band, this would have been entertaining. But the sheer creativity and technicality of
Powerglove delivers the perfect blend of both bravado and nostalgia. And it even has TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS of the “Pokemon” theme!
15. Gogol Bordello – Trans-Continental Hustle
I’ve listened to this album a number of times and I’ve had a different reaction with each listen. Having Rick Rubin produce the new
Gogol Bordello record, to me, sounded like bacon producing cake. How could it be bad? What I hear on this record is limited intervention by Rubin and predominant control by Eugene Hutz. This album is, if nothing else, stripped down. While still emphasizing the general feel of Eastern European Gypsy music, it works in favor of the Latin Influences which Hutz has absorbed in his time living in Brazil. The songs are, on a whole, slightly more regulated than on past releases but, also, more passive. They seem to reflect the lifestyle he’s engaged in at this point in his life. I know this album is either great or terrible to most people but, as far as I’m concerned, this band could play Christian bluegrass and I’d still listen.
16. The Contortionist – Exo Planet
This is just a beautiful album by a very promising, young progressive act. It would be totally unfair to say that their shiny new hats aren’t deeply tipped in the direction of
Cynic and
Between the Buried and me. But, assuming that they would happily confess to their ambitious homage,
The Contortionist have crafted an album which stands up more firmly on its own merits than on those of its influences. The whole album is both organic and narrative and feels like a real journey through the unknown, deep into the cosmos. It is both exciting and engaging. And I think that even those who aren’t practicioners of metal or progressive music could appreciate the power harnessed on this complex and fulfilling album.
17. Johnny Cash – American VI
This is the new
Johnny Cash record……… What does it sound like????............... WINNING, DUH!!!
18. Darkthrone – Circle the Wagons
This album is hella cool.
Darkthrone have gone through enough changes over the years that the “true” black metal tweens have begun to label them as “poseurs” or some adjacent term. Frankly, this album sounds more like
Motorhead than it does
Mayhem. Thrashy anthems about seemingly very non-pagan topics and very straightforward and abrasive chainsaw guitar lead an album with a decidedly outlaw sort of feel as would be indicated by the title. Picture riding along-side Poncho Villa through an icy tundra with death paint and poison shoulder spikes. I tell you, there’s genius there.
19. Kaki King – Junior
Kaki Kingis a very talented musician and songwriter of the often dull and hip “shoegaze” genre. And that’s probably a poor label since listening to King’s music causes me not to look to floor but rather to the future. A bright and glorious future where music is less like a glazed donut jammed into the ear but rather something which, magically, awakens the senses. This music has mathematic elements and is, at the same time, quite subtle. King’s somewhat cold and reserved demeanor is momentarily shaven when she let’s her guard down. And catching those moments of exposure is nearly as pleasurable as experiencing them yourself. Also, the shift towards more focused songwriting sets this album apart from her past work. And it puts me in a good mood.
20. Brain Drill – Quantum Catastrophe
AHHHHH!!!! FUCKING BADGERS OF HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......... That’s how I felt listening to the previous
Brain Drill album: “Apocalyptic Feasting“. The impressive nature of the technical and extreme musicianship seemed to be somewhat overshadowed by the sheer intensity of it all. And, although I enjoyed it, it’s honestly not an easy record to listen to. That’s not to say that “Quantum Catastrophe” plays it safe by any means. Rather, the production and the attention to detail create an extreme environment which is contained within its own little chaotic bubble. And the whole band, in general, sounds like they’re having a lot of fun and playing as a unit with fluid motion throughout.
21. Against Me! – White Crosses
Many die-hard
Against Me! fans have started to respect the band less and less over the last few years. The memory of that brief moment in time where there was an entire folk-punk “scene” has been difficult to let go of for many. But, as it is, most of those bands were just copying off of
Against Me! Anyway. When the truth comes out, they’re just a hard-working blue-collar (-ish) rock & roll band. And I believe that “White Crosses” is their finest statement yet of this new promise. The biggest nod on this album has to be to The Boss with songs like “Because of the Shame”. But, what I like about that is that it’s respectful. It pays tribute. But nowhere on this album do I feel that Tom and the boys are actually trying to rip anybody off. The music is honest and purely individual…
Gaslight Anthem? Not so much.
22. John Zorn – Filmworks: The Nobel Prize Winner
In the time that it takes you to read this review,
John Zorn will have, undoubtedly, written and recorded a new album of strange and interesting music with a ragtag band of space gypsies and lunatic virtuosos. Possibly the most prolific musician to cross over the century mark, Zorn’s music is so obscure and brilliant that I had some difficulty picking just one of the many albums he released in 2010 alone. This album in particular, is surprisingly restrained. It has a melancholic and noninvasive tone, just like a good soundtrack should. The dark and gentle piano is met with limited accompaniment. And, although I’ve yet to see this film, it’s easy to get a vibe about the nature of the story and of the character through Zorn’s blanket of aural sentiment.
23. Dark Tranquility - We Are the Void
There’s something to be said for sticking to your guns.
Dark Tranquility have always had their little nitch within the wide bastion of Gothenburg Style Melodic Death Metal. They’re sort of like that really great sandwich shop; unflapping; both consistent and constantly exciting. “We Are the Void” is no exception. A particularly well-produced album, it plays on the bands strength as an impassioned harbinger of darkness. Notable are the various ways in which Michael Stanne uses his voice on this particular recording. And the whole album, in general, has a decidedly youthful sort of feel. The rough edges were left inside the mix on this one and were only dulled slightly to improve the aural experience. A strong effort.
24. Unter Null – Moving On
Easily the most eclectic, virtuosic and, probably, most adventurous artist in the world of industrial music,
Unter Null has broken new barriers with “Moving On”. To me, the title signifies two things. For one, it is Erica Dunham’s way of moving on from the fire that burnt off her eyebrows, burnt down her personal recording studio and completely destroyed all of the original cuts of what would become this album. But, also, I feel that the album is Erica’s way of moving on from the constrictions of industrial music without damning the genre which has fed and nurtured her career. Nothing on this album seems contrived and the sheer length and surprising narrative feel of the disc open up new doors within the genre. Industrial music is moving on from the “Sex, drugs and rubber pants” days into an era where it can be a valid means of commentary about society and the human condition. It’s just great.
25. Tony Sly – 12 Song Program
When
Tony Sly (of
No Use For a Name) did a split solo album with
Joey Cape (of
Lagwagon) I was surprised at the level of subtlety he added to the pre-recorded material of his band’s songs. But this album finds itself in a whole ‘nother territory as we hear the surprisingly not-so-stale epic of a wayward traveler with a broken heart. There are surprisingly French influences on this effort and the degree with which he wears his heart on his sleeve would make you think he just went out and bought his first ever tank top. These slow laments hold as much sorrow as they do hope and I’m surprised to hear that Sly had that much bottled up inside which he couldn’t express if not on a most personal level. Just excellent.
26. Carnifex - Hell Chose Me
“Hell Chose Me”… Exactly what I was thinking yesterday as I sweltered miserably for 3 whole hours in a Mexican “purification” pit at temperatures appropriate for brazing lamb… never again!…
Carnifex, a band whose strengths lie in both the areas of spastic technicality and violent oblivion, have created an album with true replay value. It seems to have interconnectivity and significant bursts of angst and vile lunacy. The construction is somewhat genius in its modesty and I believe that this band’s individual potential within the metal world is really visible here. Kudos.
27. Ida Maria – Katla
Sophomore records are basically a waste of time. Unfortunately, as a music fanatic, I find myself listening to them anyway, harboring the tiniest little hope that they will somehow maintain themselves; whereas they normally hold themselves together about as well as the last of the single bridesmaids at an Italian wedding. I think that
Ida Maria’s second release, “Katla” does a decent job of not being an earsore. And I believe that there has even been a certain level of growth and maturity that one can observe. Barring the weak arena-rock stab that is “Bad Karma”, I think that all of the songs are both dark and poignant and have a lot to offer in regards to putting together the pieces of the complex puzzle that is
Ida Maria. Yeah.
28. Wormrot – Abuse
Yes, even though Scott Hull (almost) took the year off, there was, indeed, a little grindcore in 2010.
Wormrot is a band from Singapore, newly signed to Earache records. Their music has all of the elements I like about grindcore: speed, humor, unintelligible lyrics… all the good stuff. But there’s some unique element that I can’t quite put my finger on. I guess it’s these subtle elements of Singaporean identity and musical ideology which make
Wormrot a bit unique. Their new record comes out this year and I expect great things from this band. Besides… they’re called
Wormrot. That’s awesome.
29. Lemuria – Pebble
I got to see this relatively new band on tour with
Screeching Weasel last year. Being that their music was a bit of a deviation from pop-punk, I expected them to get booed off stage. Rather, they received great feedback from the crowd, playing their sparse and angsty shoegaze punk sorta stuff. “Pebble” sees the band stepping into much larger shoes. The obscurity of any of their lyrics is essentially non-existent as they move, alternatively towards more realist and awkward-yet-relatable topics. What I’m hearing on this album is a band with a more adult sound but one which loses none of its natural tension and viscera. Think
Pixies,
Jawbox and mid/pre-success
Lemonheads. And think hard.
30. Dimmu Borgir – Abrahadabra
I’d like to tell you that this album is one of a surprising 4.5 Black Metal albums that made it onto this year’s list… I’d
like to tell you that… But Norway is no fairytail. This album is, if nothing else, an opera. And it’s an insane and beautiful opera at that. With the use of REAL (if not simply realistic) string and horn sections and lush, empirical orchestrations,
Dimmu Borgir have created a massive tower of apocalyptic woe. The walls of this abysmal and oddly appealing fortress are built around you, closing in as they ascend and encapsulating you in the hellfire and steel, progressively, like a frog in hot water. This album was a ballsy move and I believe it is yet another example set forth this year of how a genre can be completely reinvented in so many ways. Isn’t that the point of making music?
31. Darling Thieves – Race to Red
A big surprise this year was the new record from
Darling Thieves, a mid-tempo rock band founded as a creative outlet for former
Zebrahead singer/guitarist Justin Mauriello. As much as I am a fan of
Zebrahead, I would not expect an offshoot band to sound like this. The Bohemian real-Cancun-on-crack vibe and deliciously white sounds of Mauriello’s work in
Zebrahead are replaced by a surprisingly straight-forward approach to songwriting. Think
Dashboard Confessional if he didn’t suck. Just as I would be perfectly happy listening to an album of Tom Waits reading the sears catalog, Mauriello has one of those voices that I find to be both infectious and addictive. And as a songwriter, he surely keeps up with his purdy mouth.
32. Danzig – Deth Red Sabaoth
There’s not all that much that one can say about the new
Danzig record. It’s really good just like all the others. In particular, I feel like this record somewhat favors the dark bluesy rock and roll of “Danzig I” and “Danzig II”. I’m happy that Glenn has written new songs and recorded them. But you won’t hear quite the level of industrial/metal experimentation that you find on “Blackacidevil” or “666 Satan’s Child”. And, as much as I like those albums, I could really care less.
Glenn Danzig isn’t here to break barriers. He just holds open the gates of hell.
33. Weezer – Hurley
Weezer
seem to take shit from all angles. I guess that’s to be expected from a group who have, on-and-off, been bigger than Kong. I actually believe that their humble offering “Hurley” is their least pretentious and best record since “Pinkerton”. The orchestrations are very pretty and the songs really come together very well. There’s laughter and there’s real sentiment. Given, the glory days are hard to recover; but, in my opinion, this is the first record from this band where I don’t hear them lamenting that fact. And, just to point it out, “Trainwrecks” is an absolutely incredible song. Their b-sides album “Death to All False Metal” is also quite a treat but “Hurley” has the gel needed to both make training bras glisten and pacemakers stop. It’s fun for all ages… P.S.:
Roy Orbison is good.
34. Arsis – Starve for the Devil
This album caught me a little bit off guard and, at first, I didn’t really like it. The focus of
Arsis’ music has shifted somewhat from the range of extreme technical musicianship displayed on gems like “We Are the Nightmare” and “A Diamond for Disease” to heavier type psychosis and more focused and absurd methods of song construction. Although not simple by any means, this album backs off from speed and syncopation enough to allow for some strange modes and rhythms that sound downright….. well….. American. If John Philip Sousa had a death metal band and that band made an album; this would be that album. Listen to this if you’re looking for a truly different and inspired approach to metal music with influences I couldn’t even begin to reference.
35. None More Black – Icons
None More Blackimpressed me in 2010 by really stepping out of their comfort zone. Known widely as a rock & roll/punk rock super group with very New Jersey-centric songs and a bag full of “Whoa!”s,
NMB could be called reliable, to be fair. “Icons” sees the group incorporating stylistic preferences from its individual members to create a really new sound. This sound particularly draws from the coral of both heavy metal and folk music. And, although I would normally expect this kind of scatterbrained colloid to sound like a wet rag, it instead sounds refreshing and full of life. I like this record. Buy it in a store. Or download it while you’re on the John.
36. Radiance – The Burning Sun
If you’re like me (and that’s very unlikely because Satan chooses only one), then you’ve been waiting for many years with thumbs so violently twiddled that they are raw and sore in anticipation of the new album from
Necrophagist… Well, this is the next best thing. Guitarist Sami Raatikainen has been tinkering in a bunker or something in the heart of Finland for some time and has, now, emerged with “The Burning Sun”; an album which not only displays Raatikainen’s unbridled virtuousity but also his attentive song construction and restraint. A progressive album for sure, this record draws from all over the lunar soundscape to bring what can only be described as divine aural asphyxia. This is not just a solo record for the sake of recording. It’s an important musical artifact and a statement about our time.
37. Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier
The title of the new
Iron Maiden record might indicate that the band is stepping out of their comfort zone and breaking new boundaries. This album does nothing of the sort. Musically, you really already know what you’re in for: exaggerated guitar solos, 3-step scales, breakdowns with bass gallops and a whole lot of glory. But, when you’ve guided the course of the entire super-genre of metal music, there’s really no reason to change with the times. They’re
Iron Maiden for Christ’s sake. The “Frontier” theme on this album is actually kind of clever, though. It seems to both indicate a voyage somewhere in space (as opposed to “Somewhere in Time”) and, also, the frontier of the Old West. So, in many ways, this album has more of a central theme than many past releases. And it’s definitely worth owning.
38. Kataklysm – Heaven’s Venom
HEAVY!!!… Remember that time that you basted an entire 26-Lb. turkey and then remembered that thanksgiving was actually next week and then decided to eat the entire thing yourself along with a case of Heineken and a wheel of cheese?… The way your stomach felt after that doesn’t even come close to describing the level of heaviness on the new
Kataklysm album… I love the sound quality of this recording. While playing in their own modern Death Metal style, this band has channeled the crushing power of the iron age. While so many great technical metal bands have opted for the bass sounding like a busy hornet’s nest and the drums sounding like violent finger taps on a glass table,
Kataklysm have decided to beef up the sound of every element… and, like 4 a.m. Taco Bell, it hits like a ton o’ bricks.
39. Nikola Sarcevic – Nikola and Fattiglapparna
Nikola Sarcevic(of
Millencolin fame) has been making really great, heartfelt solo records over the past several years. Listening to the smooth smoky anthems on these records, it’s easy enough to picture them being reworked as
Millencolin songs. But one can also easily hear why they were not. Subtle orchestration and deeply personal sentiments set these songs apart. This album, in particular is an interesting feast. It serves as a collaboration between Nikola and his brother, also a musician. And, get this… It’s all in Swedish!!! But just like a great opera, one doesn’t necessarily need to hear each and every textual morsel to understand the state and sentiment of the deliverer. This album is a real treat if you’re in an adult contemporary mood with just a little punk rock added in for good heat.
40. Cradle of Filth – Darkly, Darkly, Venus, Aversa
Central Complaints about the grand canon of
Cradle of Filth: 1. Albums are often too long, 2. Orchestrations sound too synthetic, 3. Image comes first before the music, 4. Clownishness and pandering to the audience….. I think you’ll find that the band’s new album, “Darkly, Darkly, Venus, Aversa” displays none of these traits. My observations come from being a fan of the group in general. But now, they’ve made something that I think will properly carry on their legacy for years to come. It’s black metal. It’s vapid. It’s carnival-esque but not silly. The lyrics are distinct and well-thought out. I didn’t expect them to make something this solid. This is a
very good record.
41. Kalmah - 12 Guage
Kalmahcomes from a very similar musical ideology as their Finnish countrymen,
Children of Bodom but they discuss much more distant and grandiose themes in their songs. On “12 Guage”, you won’t uncover quite the level of width and grandeur which you find on “For the Revolution” or “The Black Waltz” but, rather, a patient sort of a band which tends somewhat more towards the Gothenberg sound than their signature Swamp Metal stylings. But this album is tight and focused and is a real display of the cohesion between the band, a group who have failed to make a bad record and continue to create interesting, electrified music for wizards and Shire folk alike.
42. Streetlight Manifesto - 99 Songs of Revolution: Vol. 1
43. All That Remains – For We Are Many
When I first listened to
All That Remains’ previous album, “Overcome”, I thought it was overproduced. Upon subsequent listenings, I realized that it was just right; like the center porridge bowl in the house of bears. After several takes of the bands new record, my thought process is that this album really
is overproduced. And that is somewhat unfortunate because I think they’ve got a really great batch of songs here. Adam Dutkiewicz is one of my favorite producers, hands down. But I don’t picture that he and the band were on the exact same page with this one… That said, this is another really enjoyable album from a great American metalcore act (probably the best in their niche) with a great producer on their heels and it’s definitely something worth having.
44. Stephen Egerton – The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton
This is not a perfect record by any stretch of the imagination. But
Stephen Egerton is sort of a hero of mine and I like it when anybody from
All and/or
The Descendents does anything related to music. Most of these songs could have easily gone into a very good
All record but I appreciate that Egerton wished to do something different. Many of the collaborations such as those with Milo Aukerman (
Descendents), Joey Cape (
Lagwagon), Chad Price (
All), Mike Herrera (
MxPx) and Chris DeMakes (
Less Than Jake) feel really good and close to home, kinda like when the
Top Chef you really like actually wins and then Padma says something really hot and wholesome at the same time. This album is pretty good.
45. Rhapsody of Fire – The Frozen Tears of Angels
A band I’ve always liked,
Rhapsody of Fire has always represented my fatherland of Italy in a very dorky sort way. And, after a number of years of making the most synth-laced, power-driven fantasy metal about dragons imaginable,
ROF find themselves at a crossroads. To me this is the first record from the band which I think relates directly to their Italian heritage. Not only are the beautiful and orchestrations very authentic. But, the style of the orchestrations pays direct homage to the operatic and symphonic maestros of Italy’s past like
Giuseppe Verdi and
Alessandro Scarlatti. At the same time, unlike the previous album, “Triumph and Agony”, the symphonic elements are not so dominant that the drums, bass, guitar and vocals are left by the wayside. A pleasant surprise.
46. The Absence - Enemy Unbound
I heard this band for the first time about 4 years ago and I thought they were really tight. Me, having an unquenchable thirst for the Gothenberg Style Melodic Death Metal sound, I was not at all taken aback by how these dexterous young fellows followed the format almost to the “T” because they did it very well on their first couple albums. To me, this is the first album where
The Absence begins to distinguish itself. The production is beautiful. And certain songs placed at key points in the record regulate the speed and intensity so that there are a variety of moods established. It’s really quite fulfilling and surprisingly not caustic.
47. Joey Cape – Doesn’t Play Well With Others
Joey Capeis undoubtedly one of my top 10 favorite songwriters. I’ve seen a fair number of
Lagwagon concerts in my day and Cape always brings the humor, the anger and the passion to the punk rock stage. “Doesn’t Play Well With Others” finds him taking a more reserved and… maybe… spiritual approach towards songwriting. One can tell the importance of
Joey Cape’s family when listening to this album. And you can hear a man who has been humbled by the lush and simple things that life has to offer without having completely lost his snark and appreciation for the world of melancholy.
48. Fear factory – Mechanize
I really don’t like the backhanded behavior that went into this album existing. That said, it’s pretty good. And it also sounds like exactly what it is: Dino Cazares and Burton C. Bell from
Fear Factory playing with Gene Hoglan and Byron Stroud on drums and bass, respectively. Now, it would be hard to ask for a better rhythm section for as long as you could look. But the
Fear Factory sound has, historically, been largely defined by the industrial mechanics of both Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers. So, what you get here are some really great and intense songs from Cazares with cutting and soulful lyrics from Bell. But this album has the soul of a new machine… literally. And I think it’s very enjoyable. Industrial Death akin to Dino Cazarez’s
Divine Heresy for sure. But to call this band
Fear Factory is a bit of a stretch.
49. Blind Guardian - At the Edge of Time
Blind Guardian’s new album is a bit of a return to form, in my opinion. I understood the plight of their previous album. But the pop elements of it and the vague topics of lyrical discussion left me, as a listener, feeling blue-balled because I know the type of epic dominance and bravado that this band can elicit. “At the Edge of Time” sports a number of really special songs and the orchestrations are sensible and rich. One can hear moments of regression here where the band tries to sneak in little things that they’ve done before and shine them up as new hat. But I don’t really mind. You can hear the work and the mastery on this album and it’s definitely worth your time.
50. Fukpig – Belief is the Death of Intelligence
When
Anaal Nathrakh isn’t busy existing, it’s goofy and hyper younger-brother-band comes out to play.
Fukpig is much more vapid and political than
Anaal Nathrakh. And, although there are many elements of black metal in the music, it’s more akin to thrash and punk rock than it is to metal. The delivery comes with heaps of overdriven guitars and caustic snare drums. The message is both sloppy and militant. Think
Circle Jerks meets
Cryptic Slaughter in
Gorgoroth’s basement. This album is the opposite of hipsters.
