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User
Reviews 14
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Last Active 12-23-08 4:44 pm
Joined 09-03-08
Review Comments 248
| Top 25 Of 2008
2008's been a mixed year for music, a lot of good albums in the mainstream, a lot of bad albums in the mainstream, a lot of terrible indie albums, some average indie, a bazillion of horrible metal albums, a few average comeback metal albums...here's the best of one of the worst years in music. | | 1 |  | Kings of Leon
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon truly have become a standout in music and the mainstream, a fairly respectable band before has become one of the best bands in a long time to get played on the radio. Their music feels good, has a unique guitar tone, the vocals are spot-on, and the album is exponentially catchy with all the songs having relation. A truly fantastic CD. | | 2 |  | Cynic
Traced In Air
Cynic is something I didn't expect to be on my 2008 list, either. Cynic has always been technical, brutal metal with jazz influences. They are like a less-boring Between the Buried and Me. Without crunchy, ugly vocals all too abundant in heavy metal, the band's vocals are a bit welcome. Very complex, technical, and just altogether interesting describes Traced in Air, a true surprise. | | 3 |  | Opeth
Watershed
Do I need say anything more about Opeth? How many years has Opeth released a new album that sounds great, is interesting, and completely fresh? It happens every year. A mixture of heavy metal with the alternative 70s prog we're expecting, Watershed is excellent. | | 4 |  | Misery Signals
Controller
Every now and then, an album comes along that absolutely kills a genre. Not that it's bad, because it's so freaking good and it defines a genre, it kills the fad and the genre. Misery Signals' opus Controller is a brutal, genre-defining album that blows away any other metalcore album. | | 5 |  | Nine Inch Nails
The Slip
Essentially, The Slip is With Teeth done right. Before the near-perfect opener 999,999 to the brutally aggressive 1,000,000, to the dark funk Discipline, the encompassing, dystopian Lights in the Sky, or the uber dance Demon Seed, The Slip is a near-masterpiece accomplishing a mixture of every genre Trent has gone through, while sounding fresh and fun constantly. The sloppy, messy tone and production of the album sets the mood of the album perfectly, as well. | | 6 |  | The Mars Volta
The Bedlam in Goliath
Did The Bedlam in Goliath really come out in 2008? It sure seems like it came out a decade ago, but Goliath has held up well with time, still sounding as fresh and fun as ever. Songs like Ilyena, Goliath, and Cavalettas are absolutely brutal, fast, and epic as well. | | 7 |  | Deerhunter
Microcastle
I saw Deerhunter play on the Lights in the Sky Tour opening for NIN, and they were horrible. I got bored one day and downloaded Microcastle, and was pleasantly surprised. Really dark, depressing lyrics, the acoustic moderate rhythms and the pseudo-Shoegaze style of the album makes it one heck of an album. A true surprise. | | 8 |  | Boris
Smile
Boris could literally vomit on the microphone for an hour and I'd dig it, so take this choice as you please. Smile keeps that crunchy, loud post-metal sound as they've ventured back to the Heavy Rocks stoner sound, but bringing the feedback and gain influence back. It's essentially Flood mixed with Heavy Rocks for great success. | | 9 |  | Testament
The Formation of Damnation
Who figured Testament and Metallica both would have awesome comeback albums? Not me. His voice hasn't lost a bit, and the guitars are grittier and crunchier than ever. The songs are still as structured and technical as ever-Foundation of Damnation is a great comeback album. | | 10 |  | Meshuggah
obZen
I was skeptical of ever listening to a Meshuggah album again after the past few albums have been the same for 12 tracks, but obZen is brutal, technical, harsh, and to it's credit, a damn fine metal album. | | 11 |  | Metallica
Death Magnetic
The second half of the comeback of thrash, Death Magnetic is a shocking return to Metallica's roots. Ever since St. Anger, they've been trying so hard to sound like old metal, and they've finally done it. They've even introduced the picked guitar riffs of old like 'Battery' again. | | 12 |  | The Cure
4:13 Dream
This has been a long time coming-4:13 Dream is The Cure album that's been expected for ages. The beginning song reaks of depression and Smith's heart, the rest is a bright, fun mixture of Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me without sounding utterly cheesy and drawl. | | 13 |  | Shinedown
The Sound of Madness
As far as Mainstream Hard Rock goes, especially Southern (Theory of a Deadman, 3 Doors Down, etc.) Shinedown is a shining star in shitty rock. Songs like Devour, The Sound of Madness, and Cyanide Sweet Tooth are great fantastic old rock with lots of integrity. | | 14 |  | Have a Nice Life
Deathconsciousness
Lo-fi prog metal with lots of bite and inventiveness equals a surprising record. | | 15 |  | The Killers
Day & Age
The Killers are one of my favorite bands-despite being cheap mainstream pop, their music is so over-the-top, flamboyant, catchy, and fun that their music is addicting. With songs like Losing Touch and Spaceman, they have finally made the album they should; an epic, flamboyant, pop masterpiece. | | 16 |  | Scar Symmetry
Holographic Universe
Who?
I don't know.
But it's great metal. | | 17 |  | In Mourning
Shrouded Divine
As far as Death Metal goes, Shrouded Divine is as close as I get to Death Metal. Their music is absolutely beating, and kicks my ass driving down the road. Technical and unrelenting, Shattered Divide reminds me of a heavier Opeth. | | 18 |  | Nine Inch Nails
Ghosts I-IV
One of two NIN albums released this year, Ghosts is a completely instrumental double CD that defines ambient music. With lots of piano, electronics, guitars, and drums, Ghosts sets a dark, depressing, demeaning mood that can't be beat-a truly impressive album from Trent and co. | | 19 |  | Kanye West
808s and Heartbreak
What? | | 20 |  | The Butterfly Effect
Final Conversation of Kings
They are a epic, heavier version of Alternative Metal with such an allure I can't figure out-but something they do just draws me back to them despite it being one of their weakest albums. | | 21 |  | Burst
Lazarus Bird
If you mix sludgy Progressive Metal with uber technical, dorky Rush, what do you get? A damn fine Progressive Rock album you won't be embarrassed about hearing-songs like We Are Dust are just damn fine songs that break the barriers of Progressive Rock. | | 22 |  | A Static Lullaby
Rattlesnake!
A Static Lullaby is catchy, fun, un-emo Post-Hardcore with lots of bite. What's not to like? | | 23 |  | Kayo Dot
Blue Lambency Downward
Weird metal. | | 24 |  | AC/DC
Black Ice
Everytime I hear about AC/DC, it's all about same-old, same-old. Then I hear Black Ice, and it's damn great. The vocals are excellent and retro, the riffs are different, and the song structures vary a lot. How does it get crap? Big Jack is such an awesome song-to go in the legions of epic ACDC songs! What is wrong with you people? It's fun to hate AC/DC, apparently. | | 25 |  | Son Lux
At War With Walls and Mazes
Embarrassing loser rock only music geeks would listen to. | |
bastard
11.27.08 | 13 and 24 lol | jingledeath
11.27.08 | hey nice list.2,3,13,16,17 are probably going to be in my list as well. | ninjuice
11.27.08 | Deathconsciousness is metal? I thought it was like post rock/electronic and whatnot.
3, 5, 11, 16, 18, and 19 are great albums, and most of the others I'm quite interested in hearing. | Mendigo
11.27.08 | I should rip your throat for 25 dumb sucker.
cool list otherwise, though Ghosts is better than The Slip imo. | Mendigo
11.27.08 | lol at have a nice life and kayo dot being metal, btw. | red0
11.27.08 | I don't know a lot about metal, Deathconsciousness is partly metal, at least in my opinion. | Mendigo
11.27.08 | you could argue that it has some traces of black metal, but definitely no prog metal. | PayneTiger777
11.27.08 | No one ever puts the new Sevendust album on these lists :(. The new Butterfly Effect album is awesome :). | Killtacular
11.27.08 | I like this list and you. Though I'm not sure what you're doing with AC/DC on there.
Props on Kanye. I love that damn album. | willfellmarsy
11.28.08 | The Mars Volta is br00tal...3 is stink, 21 is amazing and should be much higher...maybe listen to some of the good stuff and then the year wouldn't suck... | ECRbubs
12.07.08 | nice 19 | Groink
12.19.08 | I'm feeling 19 and 22. |
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