Dewinged's AOTY 2019
2019 has been a year of extreme highs and lows. It was the year I became contributor and hey! I won that weird popularity contest that got me a big avy! Work was stable, wife was healthy and I started playing again shows in a couple of bands. I was doing great until on September 12th my mother passed away. The last quarter of the year has been devastating for me, but I gotta thank a good bunch of users and specially the contributor team for the support and for putting up with me during those difficult days.
With that said, here are the albums i personally enjoyed the most this year. I know I missed a lot, maybe I missed your entire top 10! But that was the idea, to hoard less, to go deeper with each album, something I am planning to keep doing next year (lies though, cause I gotta jam almost 5 years worth of releases to do that goddamn decade list you all are pouring out). As always, thanks for the good times and see you all next year! |
| 101 |  | Sol Distorsion
Sol Distorsion
Released: April 12th
Label: Self released
Genre: Shoegaze / Post Rock
Track: Bloom
Shameless self promotion#1. In April this year I mustered the courage to put this together and found people to bring it live. Fun fact: after three shows, drummer and bass player had a fallout and now I am back to zero. Oh well, I guess the new year will provide. |
| 100 |  | o'summer vacation
Wicked Heart
Released: February 14th
Label: Self released
Genre: Noise Punk
Track: Black Heat
Shameless self promotion#2. I hadn't played drums in a while, and I was starting to feel old and rusty, so joined Miki and Ami in their crazy noise core punk math adventure. MAN, that was quite a hot summer of live shows and debauchery. Next year is looking good too, with new recording and hopefully touring somewhere outside Japan. |
| 99 |  | Lingua Ignota
Caligula
Released: July 19th
Label: Profound Lore
Genre: Neoclassical / Industrial
Track: If the Poison Won't Take You My Dogs Will
So this is the deal with Lingua Ignota. I don't think that, if you haven't seen her live, if you haven't shared the space with her persona and have been made an acquaintance of her story, there is absolutely no way you are going to connect with this album as someone that has been in a cage with her. I loved, LOVED, her work with The Body, but no matter how much I tried to connect with this album, there is that piece missing, crucial for the process, and as long as I miss it, this album won't tear down my walls. |
| 98 |  | The Comet Is Coming
Trust in the Lifeforce of Deep Mystery
Released: March 15th
Label: Impulse!
Genre: Jazz Fusion
Track: Blood of the Past
The feature of Kate Tempest is the best thing happening in this otherwise decent jazz album. |
| 97 |  | Inter Arma
Sulphur English
Released: April 12th
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Sludge / Doom
Track: The Atavist's Meridian
Not gonna argue that this is a good or a bad album, it's obviously good, but it bored me gently the few times I've listened to it. |
| 96 |  | Blood Incantation
Hidden History of the Human Race
Released: November 22nd
Label: Dark Descent
Genre: Death Metal
Track: The Giza Power Plant
I don't think this is the defining album for the genre, but again, I don't know shit about the genre to start with. |
| 95 |  | Pelican
Nighttime Stories
Released: June 7th
Label: Southern Lord
Genre: Post Metal / Post Rock
Track: Midnight and Mescalyne
"Midnight and Mescalyne" is the kind of soundtrack you need when in route to buy narcotics for the long weekend at 3am. |
| 94 |  | Westkust
Westkust
Released: Match 1st
Label: Run for Cover
Genre: Shoegaze / Indie Rock
Track: Drive
I know these guys are capable of much more, this barely makes the cut. |
| 93 |  | Silversun Pickups
Widow's Weeds
Released: June 7th
Label: New Machine
Genre: Indie Rock
Track: Neon Wound
Yes, it was underwhelming. At first, at least, but they still managed to squeeze in some classic SP tunes in this last release, "Neon Wound" being the most immediate example. |
| 92 |  | Falls of Rauros
Patterns in Mythology
Released: July 19th
Label: Gilead
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Track: Memory at Night
I tried to get into this one, mostly because it's Noctebro's AOTY but man, I just can't get into it. I mean, it's a good album but I don't vibe with it much as other people here. And that also applies to the rest of their albums. |
| 91 |  | Sungaze
Light in All of It
Released: July 19th
Label: Self Released?
Genre: Dream Pop
Track: The Race
There were days I felt this was great, and there were days I though it was incredibly boring. |
| 90 |  | Rorcal
Muladona
Released: November 8th
Label: Hummus
Genre: Sludge Metal
Track: I'd Done My Duty to My Mother and Father. and More Than That I'd Found Love
Great, massive album. But man, those song titles... |
| 89 |  | Russian Circles
Blood Year
Released: August 2nd
Label: Sargent House
Genre: Post Metal / Post Rock
Track: Arluck
Got tickets to see these guys in February next year and I am more excited about the local band that is actually opening for them lol
It's probably my favorite cover this year though! |
| 88 |  | Press Club
Wasted Energy
Released: August 16th
Label: Self Released?
Genre: Punk Rock
Track: I'm in Hell
I feel they lost a bit of fuel from their debut, or maybe the surprise factor is gone, but they still managed to convince me and I ended up reserving them a spot here. |
| 87 |  | Ossuarium
Living Tomb
Released: February 1st
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Genre: Death Metal
Track: Corrosive Hallucinations
The clumsy drumming has its charm. |
| 86 |  | Deafkids
Metaprogramação
Released: March 15th
Label: Neurot Recordings
Genre: Industrial / Experimental Punk
Track: Mente Bicameral
When Steve Von Till suggests you should listen to something, he is not suggesting, he is commanding your soul from another plane of existence, and you will abide to his command. |
| 85 |  | Blut Aus Nord
Hallucinogen
Released: October 11th
Label: Debemur Morti
Genre: Atmospherick Black Metal
Track: Nebeleste
I would have wanted to spend more time with this one, but I quite squeezed it in when i realized I had totally missed it on release. |
| 84 |  | Angel Olsen
All Mirrors
Released: October 4th
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: Indie Pop
Track: All Mirrors
I was honestly expecting more after the single destroyed my senses. It's a good album but too many songs walk at a very slow pace and it makes me boil somehow. The title track is something else completely. One of the best songs she has ever written/performed. |
| 83 |  | Bent Knee
You Know What They Mean
Released: October 11th
Label: InsideOut
Genre: Art Rock
Track: Give Us the Gold
They went all over the top on this one and that will shut down some fans, but I appreciate the effort they have put on this album. I think it's a bit long and too complicated, but there are plenty of jaw dropping moments. |
| 82 |  | Suldusk
Lunar Falls
Released: April 12th
Label: Northern Silence
Genre: Dark Folk / Atmospheric Black Metal
Track: Solus Ipse
Enya running through a forest in Finland, wearing a white tunic with blood stains while being chased by a dragon. Suddenly she stops, reaches her arms to the sky, creating a vortex of black clouds and lightning which summons a big fat thunder that befalls on the poor creature roasting it to a crisp. |
| 81 |  | Church of the Cosmic Skull
Everybody's Going to Die
Released: November 29th
Label: Septaphonic Records
Genre: Pyche Hard Rock
Track: Do You Believe in Magic?
The latest arrival to the list, it would have probably been higher if I had more time with it. |
| 80 |  | Big|Brave
A Gaze Among Them
Released: May 10th
Label: Southern Lord
Genre: Drone / Post metal
Track: Mute Shifting of Space
These guys have lightning in a bottle, for real. But sometimes they indulge themselves in way too much distortion. |
| 79 |  | Ty Segall
First Taste
Released: August 2nd
Label: Drag City
Genre: Psyche Rock
Track: Taste
God knows I hate Ty Segall. But when I heard "Taste" for the first time, with those 2 drummers, that conga, that fuzz, that swag. You shut me up, Ty, you really did. |
| 78 |  | Courtney Swain
Between Blood and Ocean
Released: May 1st
Label: Self Released
Genre: Art Pop
Track: White Trees
Mrs. Swain you have been busy this year, owning the year, that is. Between this and Bent Knee's latest. She has made up for the next five years or so. |
| 77 |  | Mono
Nowhere Now Here
Released: January 25th
Label: Temporary Residence
Genre: Post Rock
Track: After You Comes The Flood
Not their best release but they still function as one of the best post rock live acts of the planet. |
| 76 |  | Kayo Dot
Blasphemy
Released: September 6th
Label: Prophecy
Genre: Prog Experimental Rock
Track: The Something Opal
Kayo Dot is so weird, man, but it's so good too. |
| 75 |  | UV-TV
Happy
Released: July 19th
Label: Self released
Genre: Shoegaze Punk
Track: Mirror
Garage rock that sounds like shoegaze with a dose of punk rock. It's not revolutionary but believe me, it's so enjoyable for some reason. |
| 74 |  | Mechina
Telesterion
Released: November 1st
Label: Self released
Genre: Cyber Metal
Track: Realm Breaker
Oh boy, was I hyped for this one... When "Realm Breaker" dropped, with Mel Rose fronting the track with her gorgeous vocals I lost it. "The MADMAN! He did it again!" I thought. Then the album unfolds, (after a 6 minute intro of someone getting off a cryo capsule), and it's all very convoluted and over the top and I like it, or i think I like it. I don't know anymore. "Realm Breaker" is a jam though. |
| 73 |  | Lowly
Hifalutin
Released: January 25th
Label: Bella Union
Genre: Art Pop
Track: Go for a Walk
This was one of the biggest let downs of the year for me. Their debut, "Heba", was on my top 10 only 2 years ago. One of the most promising pop bands out there, I was so unbelievably hyped about the follow up. Turns out, they made a really good album, but I don't know, something's missing, and I feel they over complicated their songwriting. Still... a damn fine, artsy, ambient pop album. |
| 72 |  | A Swarm of the Sun
The Woods
Released: January 11th
Label: Version Studio
Genre: Post Rock
Track: An Heir to the Throne
Doesn't have the dynamics and staying power of their debut, "Zenith", but I feel these guys are criminally underrated. |
| 71 |  | Tallies
Tallies
Released: January 11th
Label: Kanine
Genre: Dream Pop
Track: Trouble
Sarah Cogan's voice reminds me a lot to Emma Ruth Rundle, and you know where I come from, so there's that. This debut has some low moments but it's pretty decent. Definitely a band to keep on the radar. |
| 70 |  | Vimur
Triumphant Master of Fates
Released: March 2nd
Label: Boris
Genre: Black Metal
Track: Adversarial Impetus Ignition
That withered beauty I love in the genre. |
| 69 |  | Pom Poko
Birthday
Released: February 22nd
Label: Bella Union
Genre: Prog Pop
Track: Follow the Lights
Cheers to the good soul that rec'd me this recently. Sort of Bent Knee business here. This is what happens when jazz students get bored of studying and decide to blow off some steam. |
| 68 |  | Maquinas
O Cão de Toda Noite
Released: November 8th
Label: Mercurio
Genre: Jazzy Post Rock
Track: Corpo Frágil
Crazy Brasilian jazz infused post rock. Really, a pleasant surprise. |
| 67 |  | Lapalux
Amnioverse
Released: November 8th
Label: Brainfeeder
Genre: Ambient Pop
Track: Limb to Limb
When you surround yourself with artists like JFDR, Gabi or Lilia is almost like cheating, man! Really good stuff, complimentary to "Ruinism" in a way. I also included this album so Potsy doesn't bully my list to oblivion. |
| 66 |  | Emily Jane White
Immanent Fire
Released: November 25th
Label: Talitres
Genre: Dark Folk
Track: Surrender
I like the term Gothic Country. Chelsea Wolfe, Marissa Nadler, or Anna Von Hausswolff, they all belong to this covenant of dark americana that is just so appealing to me. |
| 65 |  | Tomb Mold
Planetary Clairvoyance
It's been a great year for Death Metal! (or so I've read somewhere around here...) |
| 64 |  | Drei Affen
Seguimos Ciegxs
Released: June 13th
Label: Pifia
Genre: Screamo
Track: Seguimos Ciegxs
Proof that screamo sounds way better in Spanish. |
| 63 |  | Numenorean
Adore
Released: April 12th
Label: Season of Mist
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal / Post Metal
Track: Horizon
You could argue they are a Deafheaven spawn but fuck me, I would say they do this kind of stuff better than them. Like... Way better. |
| 62 |  | Kadavar (DE)
For the Dead Travel Fast
Released: October 11th
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Occult Rock
Track: The Devil's Master
Abra Kadavar! These guys pull another trick from the hat, another solid slab of Transylvanian stoner with occult themes. |
| 61 |  | Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard
Yn Ol I Annwn
Released: March 1st
Label: New Heavy
Genre: Doom
Track: Fata Morgana
I love the contrast between Jessica's voice and the heavy sludge but I always end up with the feeling that they could do much more. |
| 60 |  | Black Mountain
Destroyer
Released: May 24th
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Fuzz Rock
Track: Horns Arising
If the second half of this thing would be as good as the first one, "Destroyer" would have gone straight into my top 10. It's the first thing I hear of these guys but I am really curious to visit their back catalogue. The track I recommend is worth a shot if you are slightly into psyche and/or prog rock. |
| 59 |  | Darkthrone
Old Star
Released: May 31st
Label: Peaceville
Genre: Black Metal Punk
Track: I Muffle Your Inner Chore
Fenriz and Nocturno Culto don't need to make a revolution out of the genre anymore. They did with this album what they needed to do, a solid come back doing what they do best. |
| 58 |  | Cross Record
Cross Record
Released: August 2nd
Label: Ba Da Bing!
Genre: Ambient Pop
Track: PYSOL My Castle
With Dan Duszynski out of the picture, Cross Record has become 100% the solo project of Emily Cross. It also means that there'll be no Loma in the near future? Hell if I know, but I hope I am wrong! "Half Silences" was a promising single but alas...! |
| 57 |  | Tool
Fear Inoculum
Released: August 2nd
Label: Ba Da Bing!
Genre: Ambient Pop
Track: Fear In Your Rectum
Let's start with a confession. I'm a Tooltard. I've been one since my young years, because hell, when you are in your 20 somethings and your friends throw something like Aenima to your face, and you are like 420ing every day... holy hells! The thing has an impact on you, believe me. So I waited, all these years, like many of you, praying for that game changing album, the fucking prog messiah of releases that supposedly never came. it never happened. And you know what? That's fine anyway. Tool is still the same, but us? We are not the same anymore, and that might be the problem, after all. |
| 56 |  | Joliette
Luz Devora
Released: July 2nd
Label: Penelope
Genre: Post Hardcore / Mathcore
Track: Vacío
And this is the confirmation. Post hardcore sounds so much better in Spanish. |
| 55 |  | Jambinai
ONDA
Released: June 7th
Label: Bella Union
Genre: Post Rock
Track: Square Wave
Post Rock with Korean traditional instruments and superb vocals. Another rec I was blessed with recently. |
| 54 |  | Spidergawd
V
Released: January 11th
Label: Crispin Glover
Genre: Hard Rock
Track: Twentyfourseven
Fans of Motorpsycho can't miss on this. If you would like to hear a less complicated, more in your face version of the legends themselves (they share the drummer), you have to listen to this one. |
| 53 |  | Alexia Avina
All That I Can't See
Released: March 22
Label: Self released /Never Content
Genre: Ambient Folk
Track: All That I Can't See
Like Johanna Warren last year, who broke my mind with "Gemini II", from which lost lake of tears where unicorns drink in full moon nights did this girl come from? |
| 52 |  | Tropical Fuck Storm
Braindrops
Released: May 24th
Label: Joyful Noise
Genre: Experimental Rock / Noise Punk
Track: Who's My Eugene?
Gareth, I love you man, but let the ladies take over the singing, really, there's no competition at this point. Less abrasive than debut, more bluesy, equally enjoyable. |
| 51 |  | Opeth
In Cauda Venenum
Released: September 27th
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Prog these days I guess
Track: Dignity
I honestly jumped on the Opeth train fairly late, so I never suffered the transition of sound that old fans did. All I know is that this is a more than decent prog rock album, and Akerfeldt is a hell of a vocalist and songwriter. |
| 50 |  | Ioanna Gika
Thalassa
Released: April 5th
Label: Sargent House
Genre: Art Pop / Synth Pop
Track: Roseate
A tour this year around the US with Chelsea Wolfe has brought to the front the amazing debut of this enigmatic Greek American artist. |
| 49 |  | Drab Majesty
Modern Mirror
Released: July 12th
Label: Dais
Genre: Darkwave
Track: The Other Side
Aaaahhh, those 80s vibes. No one does this stuff like these two lovable pale alien doppelgangers from Venus. |
| 48 |  | Stonefield
Bent
Released: June 14th
Label: Fightless
Genre: Stoner / Psyche / Doom
Track: Woman
Somewhere in the deep valleys of Australia there is a proud Black Sabbath fan and father of 4 beautiful ladies whose life long plan has been succesfully executed. |
| 47 |  | Mellow Gang
Adjourn
Released: May 10th
Label: Self released?
Genre: Dream Pop
Track: Big Builds
budgiecore to the bone. Btw, budgie, where are thou? |
| 46 |  | Schammasch
Hearts of No Light
Released: November 8th
Label: Prosthetic
Genre: Black Metal / (and Goth Rock???)
Track: A Paradigm of Beauty
Please, for the love of all things defiled, someone go and tell this band that they NAIL goth rock. Jesus, they are not even trying and they absolutely kill it. Like seriously, it's ridiculous. Listen to that gem of a track that I quoted above. |
| 45 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Ghosteen
Released: October 4th
Label: Bad Seed
Genre: Sadcore
Track: Night Raid
I want Nick to speak at my funeral. |
| 44 |  | Mizmor
Cairn
Released: September 6th
Label: Gilead
Genre: Doom / Black Metal
Track: Desert of Absurdity
It's strange. This came at a time in my life when I actually needed to do a review to exorcize some of the grief that I was dealing with. Reading his interview with Emma Ruth Rundle was healing in a way and inspiring in another, so I decided to give it the review treatment ( I basically ripped off the interview lol). |
| 43 |  | Jay Som
Anak Ko
Released: August 23rd
Label: Polyvinyl
Genre: Dream Pop
Track: Superbike
This dominated summer. |
| 42 |  | Esoteric
A Pyrrhic Existence
Released: November 8th
Label: Season of Mist
Genre: Funeral Doom
Track: Sick and Tired
Sick and Tired is how I felt at the end of the album. I use to jam it in 2 times, cause I think jamming it in one sit would bury me. But make no mistake, this is exhaustingly good. |
| 41 |  | Jesca Hoop
Stonechild
Released: July 5th
Label: Memphies Industries
Genre: Singer Songwriter
Track: Old Fear of Father
Ignored by staff, by contributors, by almost the totality of the user base here, and even by me until like a month ago when I realized it had passed me by. Absolutely stunning beauty, so glad I gave it a chance in the very last minute. |
| 40 |  | The Day
Midnight Parade
Released: January 18th
Label: Sinnbus
Genre: Dream Pop
Track: Island
The rest of the album is not as strong as to guarantee a place among the best, but "Island" does have a spot on my top 10 songs of the year, so go check that one! |
| 39 |  | Common Holly
When I say to you Black Lightning
Released: October 18th
Label: Self released
Genre: Singer Songwriter
Track: Uuu
I wasn't expecting much of that cover. Maybe some bedroom whining recorded with 2 mics at best. What I didn't expect is a superb folk record that reminded me the old say: never judge a book by its cover. |
| 38 |  | The Stargazer Lilies
Occabot
Released: November 1st
Label: Rad Cult
Genre: Shoegaze
Track: Magenta Sunrise
I feel they really stroke a nice balance of noise and melody on this one. |
| 37 |  | Destrage
The Chosen One
Released: May 24th
Label: Metal Blade
Genre: Prog Metal (or smth like that)
Track: About That
The Italians are on top of their game. This is the closest I have come to a band like Fair to Midland, which is sadly gone for the time being. The second half of the album doesn't stand as strongly as the first half but it's because of absolute bangers like "About That". No way to keep that momentum throughout the whole album. |
| 36 |  | Copeland
Blushing
Released: February 15th
Label: Tooth and Nail
Genre: Indie Pop
Track: As Above, So Alone
I didn't expect them to surpass "You Are my Sunshine", which is one of my favorite albums of all time, and you know what? They didn't! But still, they managed to craft an album worth the wait! |
| 35 |  | Rammstein
Untitled
Released: May 17th
Label: Universal
Genre: Industrial Metal
Track: Auslander
What a comeback. Please watch the videos, cause they are probably the best thing I've watched this year in that category. Be specially sure to watch the video for "Sex" either at work or with your parents. |
| 34 |  | White Ward
Love Exchange Failure
Released: September 20th
Label: Debemur Morti
Genre: Noir Blackgaze
Track: Love Exchange Failure
Blackgaze with jazz elements and ambient passages. This is quite the ride. |
| 33 |  | Soen
Lotus
Released: February 1st
Label: Silver Lining
Genre: Progressive Metal
Track: Lascivious
tfw your album gets featured in some lad's list and it's ranked higher than seldom albums of the two bands you have been inspired by. |
| 32 |  | Cave In
Final Transmission
Released: June 7th
Label: Hydra Head / Daymare
Genre: Post Hardcore / Alternative
Track: Shake My Blood
Beyond death. Caleb forever. R.I.P. |
| 31 |  | Grima
Will of the Primordial
Released: August 3rd
Label: Naturmacht
Genre: Black Metal
Track: Siberian Sorrow
Only a BM band from Russia would have the square balls to release their album in August. Turns out, it's a hell of an album. You know I'm still no conosseur, I leave that to Nazz and co. (also, I never finished my Black Metal Odyssey so still haven't got my degree), but believe me when I say, this is a damn fine atmo black metal album. |
| 30 |  | Soilwork
Verkligheten
Released: January 11th
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Melodeath
Track: The Nurturing Glance
I wonder if they went for January 11th because it is their 11th album. Anyway, stars align, the dead dance inside their graves and Soilwork releases another album. I don't think I've liked them as much since the days of Figure Number Five. It's one of those bands that I'm always glad they are still around. |
| 29 |  | Night Flowers
Fortune Teller
Released: October 25th
Label: Dirty Bingo
Genre: Indie Pop
Track: I've Loved You (Such a Long Time)
No one makes such gorgeous pop like Night Flowers these days. And they do it so effortlessly that it's almost insulting. Their sophomore release doesn't include any track that reaches the highs of my all time favorite "Cruel Wind" but I don't think there's a band that can pull off a track like that twice. Break-up album, by the way. Don't listen to it if you are going through one or it will destroy you. |
| 28 |  | Otoboke Beaver
Itekoma Hits
Released: April 26th
Label: Damnably
Genre: Punk
Track: 脱・日陰の女
I remember 4 or 5 years ago seeing guitarist Yoshie surfing the crowd at some small club in Osaka, while her SG busted the heads of the few otakus gathered there. Fast forward to 2019 and these girls have taken over Coachella, SXSW and Lowlands to name a few crowds. So happy for them. |
| 27 |  | Saor
Forgotten Paths
Released: February 15th
Label: Avantgarde
Genre: Black Metal
Track: Brón
Andy Marshall is the man. Bathe me in celtic riffs and bury me with the chorus of "Brón" on repeat in some Skyrim mountain. |
| 26 |  | DIIV
Deceiver
Released: October 4th
Label: Captured Tracks
Genre: Shoegaze
Track: Horsehead
Damn, they really stepped up their game since their last album, to the point of feeling bad of accusing them of rich kids with expensive instruments in the past. |
| 25 |  | Earth Tongue
Floating Being
Released: June 21st
Label: Stolen Bodies
Genre: Psychedelic / Prog
Track: Astonishing Comet
Debut album from these 2 personalities. This is quite difficult to describe, so I'll let your curiosity do the job for me. |
| 24 |  | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
Released: April 12th
Label: Plateau Records
Genre: Singer Songwriter
Track: Don't Settle
What a gap from his previous album. You really hyped this one with a reason Sput, the man is already a legend in my book. |
| 23 |  | Jenny Hval
The Practice of Love
Released: September 13th
Label: Sacred Bones
Genre: Synthpop / Dance
Track: Ashes to Ashes
This is what happens when an artist like Jenny Hval puts aside the artsy nonsense and focuses in doing a good album. |
| 22 |  | Black Midi
Schlagenheim
Released: June 21st
Label: Rough Trades
Genre: Noise Rock / Post Punk
Track: 953
Featuring one of my favorite new drummers of recent times (or months), after a few seconds into 953 you soon realize these guys are their own thing. One of the most promising acts for the years to come. |
| 21 |  | The Cranberries
In the End
Released: April 26th
Label: BMG
Genre: Pop Rock
Track: All Over Now
This is a gift from the heavens above for long ass fans of the Cranberries like myself. I couldn't have asked for a better album to cement their legacy and it's incredible how it feels like Dolores just recorded it like nothing had ever happened. Hearing her singing "it's all over now" just sends shivers down my spine. |
| 20 |  | Green Milk From the Planet Orange
Third
Released: May 15th
Label: Self released
Genre: Prog Rock
Track: Phoenix
Another band I met "on the road" so to speak and that made my jaw fall flat to the floor with their last live show. Hear to believe. |
| 19 |  | Full of Hell
Weeping Choir
Released: May 17th
Label: Relapse
Genre: Grindcore / Death Metal
Track: Ygramul the Many
When a band has their whole fucking tour van stolen, instruments and merchandise included, and they are able to get 3 times the donation they needed to continue the tour in only a few hours, you know the band is somehow special. Probably the most rabid, virulent, venomous album released this year. |
| 18 |  | Motorpsycho
The Crucible
Released: February 15th
Label: Stickman
Genre: Prog Rock
Track: The Crucible
They probably recorded this album one afternoon during Christmas holidays last year cause they were hungovered and had nothing better to do. |
| 17 |  | Cherry Glazerr
Stuffed and Ready
Released: February 1st
Label: Secretly Canadian
Genre: Indie Rock
Track: Juicy Socks
Best production work at this side of the genre. With Apocalipstick they showed they can write killer tunes and with this one they showed it was not coincidence. Banger after banger. |
| 16 |  | Brutus (BE)
Nest
Released: March 29th
Label: Sargent House / Hassle
Genre: Post Hardcore
Track: War
I personally prefer their debut but in only two albums these guys are already touring the world. Impressive to say the least, but not a surprise. |
| 15 |  | Swallow the Sun
When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light
Released: January 25th
Label: Century Media
Genre: Doom
Track: Firelights
Never understood the whip this album got on release. I can't compare it to previous releases cause this is my first contact with them, but this superb mix of Paradise Lost and Type O' Negative is all I wanted this year from a doom album. "Firelights" makes me very, very soft. |
| 14 |  | Boris
Love and Evol
Released: October 4th
Label: Third Man
Genre: Boris
Track: Evol
There are many ways to make friends when you live in Japan, but if you wanna be friends with the really cool folk, tell them you listen to Boris. |
| 13 |  | Cult of Luna
A Dawn to Fear
Released: September 20th
Label: Metal Blade
Genre: Post Metal
Track: Inland Rain
Not gonna lie. I had a dim flame of hope for Julie Christmas to be featured on this one and my first blind play was of disappointment. After that, you realize this didn't need her. |
| 12 |  | Chelsea Wolfe
Birth of Violence
Released: October 4th
Label: Sargent House
Genre: Dark Americana (this time)
Track: The Mother Road
Oh your Highness! We are not worthy! |
| 11 |  | Helms Alee
Noctiluca
Released: April 26th
Label: Sargent House
Genre: Atmo Sludge
Track: Play Dead
Sargent House has become my favorite label in the last two years, so even if I don-t know the band, I automatically check whatever they curate. That's how I discovered Helms Alee and fell in love almost immediately. "Play Dead" is one of my favorite tracks of the year. |
| 10 |  | Borknagar
True North
Released: April 26th
Label: Century Media
Genre: Heavy Metal
Track: Up North
Only took 11 albums to know about these guys. If someone in the future asked me how was Heavy metal in 2019 this is the album and the track I'd show them. |
| 9 |  | Big Thief
U.F.O.F.
Released: May 3rd
Label: 4AD
Genre: Indie Folk
Track: U.F.O.F.
This album has something that "Two Hands" doesn't have, I don't know what it is. This is folk made with a magic potion recipe, so tasty you can almost drink it. |
| 8 |  | Nivhek
After Its own Death/ Walking in a Spiral
Released: February 8th
Label: Yellowelectric
Genre: Ambient / Drone
Track: After its own death (Side B)
Grouper was not enough for Liz Harris. She needed to go beyond, cross the twilight zone and bring back whatever she had found. And here it is. |
| 7 |  | Alcest
Spiritual Instinct
Released: October 25th
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Blackgaze
Track: Sapphire
Neige and co. are regulars in my AOTY lists with every release. "Kodama" came close to beat Emma Ruth Rundle and Cult of Luna w/ Julie Christmas in 2016 and "Ecailles de Lune" got the fist spot in 2010. I really wanna live inside that guitar tone. |
| 6 |  | Elizabeth Colour Wheel
Nocebo
Released: March 15th
Label: The Flenser
Genre: Noise Rock / Shoegaze / Sludgecore
Track: Hide Behind (Emmett's Song)
One of the most thrilling and unpredictable albums I've heard this year. Lane Shi's voice is bewitching. The band goes from Neurosis to shoegaze and then turns into post hardcore in not over a freaking minute. I highly recommend them. |
| 5 |  | Lightning Bolt
Sonic Citadel
Released: October 11th
Label: Thrill Jockey
Genre: Noise Math
Track: Air Condition
The return of Chip and Gibson couldn't have been more spectacular. "Sonic Citadel" is a noise rock torpedo from start to finish, a relentless assault. Also am I the only one hearing Iron Maiden influences on this one?? |
| 4 |  | Devil Master
Satan Spits On Children Of Light
Released: Match 1st
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Blackened Punk
Track: Her Thirsty Whip
They already won me over with the EP they released last year. If you are lucky you'll be able to catch them live in someone's basement or living room near you. |
| 3 |  | オオハシ (Ohashi)
波のはじまり (Nami no Hajimari)
Released: March 3rd
Label: Self released
Genre: Math Rock
Track: 暮らす (Kurasu)
At the beginning of the year I started frequenting local live houses more often, scouting for members to make my own project. One of the bands that absolutely blew my wig off were Ohashi, a 3-piece from Osaka that mixes math rock with tropicalia, shoegaze and entrancing vocal harmonies. Their live show was amazing but my real surprise came when I checked this album back home. |
| 2 |  | Fire! Orchestra
Arrival
Released: May 24th
Label: Rune Grammofon
Genre: Jazz
Track: Blue Crystal Fire
Reigned during a few months as AOTY but after many revisits and discussions with myself I decided to give the spot to Two People. Nevertheless, this is a must-listen for this year. This is how jazz should sound in the year we are in, and one of the most impressive vocal performances I've heard all year. |
| 1 |  | Two People
First Body
Released: January 18th
Label: Terrible Records
Genre: Ambient Pop / Downtempo
Track: I'm Tied to You
Released a few days into January, this album has tanked through the rest of the year undefeated. Outstanding debut. Sex. |
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