Average Rating: 3.33 Rating Variance: 0.74 Objectivity Score: 85% (Well Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicBon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago Converge Jane DoeWith "Jane Doe", Converge have created the most punishing, guttural and piercing metalcore album to ever exist. It tells a familiar tale in an incredibly compelling and original way, through barely decipherable shrieked lyrics (which oddly enough, are decipherable perfectly at the albums most lyrically important moments) and an incredibly raw and chaotic atmosphere. Bannon's vocals and articulation on here are really otherworldly; while I can understand the hate for his style it literally fits perfectly on the album musically and conceptually. Musically, Bannon's high pitched wails present the story in a unique way, because most of the lyrics seen in the lyric booklet aren't even decipherable at most times through Bannon's desperate cries, but only come out at the albums pinnacle points lyrically. This is a risky, but original and satisfying move, and a hell of a compelling way to tell a story. Koller's drumming is sharp and perfect, Ballou's guitar work is sinister and even more perfect, and the atmosphere that all of these things create is simply unreal. "Jane Doe" is a story about heartbreak and anger, propelled to new heights with Bannon's whines and Ballou's incredible atmospheric touches. Best metalcore and worth the acclaim.Elliott Smith Elliott SmithCriminally overshadowed by Either/Or and XO, Elliott's self titled album is his darkest, most gripping album. How this man wrote so many beautifully depressing (yea) songs in a row without seeming repetitive or cliche is astounding. Some people could argue that the wizzy studio shit that Smith tried after makes for more interesting music, but none of those records capture me the way that this one does. "Needle in the Hay" is Elliott's best opener, "St. Ides Heaven" and "Christian Brothers" are both gorgeous, yet lyrically painful tunes and "Coming Up Roses" is one of the best mellow folk-pop songs ever recorded. This album captures everything melancholic perfectly, without ever getting tedious or feeling irrelevant, every fucking song on here is great. It's so light, soft and repressed, so many people might call it boring and move on (like I originally did) but with time I fell in love with each and every song on here, and how Smith brought it all together into his crowning achievement. This album is the definition of classic.Frightened Rabbit The Midnight Organ Fight"The Midnight Organ Fight" is literally a perfect album if there ever was one. The only possible criticism of this is that Scott Hutchinson was simply too good at writing brilliant melodies and depressing lyrics, so maybe it might be a little too cathartic for the weak willed to listen to such an intense and tear jerking album. What's remarkable about this one is the fact that, across 14 songs and two instrumentals, there is no filler. I enjoy pretty much everything Frightened Rabbit put into this album. It feels suffocated, sincere and gloomy at times but it's still somehow one of the catchiest and immediate albums I've ever listened to. "Keep Yourself Warm", "The Modern Leper" and "Heads Roll Off" are without a doubt some of the most powerful songs I've ever heard in my entire life. This album is pretty much flawless, if a little too honest and upsetting for some. Hutchinson's documentation of personal anguish, depression and fall from grace combined with his incredible vocals, swooning melodies and pop sensibilities make for one of the most perfectly executed folk-rock albums in existence. Godspeed You! Black Emperor Slow Riot For New Zero KanadaGodspeed You! Black Emperor never seems to be able to make something that doesn't totally engross you in it's atmosphere. What is best about their "Slow Riot" EP is that they are able to completely floor me with a single melody such as the one toyed with in "Moya" and they floor me yet again with that legendary spoken word monologue in "BBF3". "Lift Your Skinny Fists" and "F # A#" seem to be the ones that are most cinematic and grand, but "Slow Riot" accomplishes everything that those two records do in just under thirty minutes, without the few parts that aren't needed. "Slow Riot" is a beautiful, concise piece of instrumental and cinematic bliss that never lets up, and never fails to completely trap me within it's cloudy atmosphere and rich, intricate instrumentation and melodies. Godspeed always knew how to put a mammoth atmospheres together, and on here, it's done perfectly.Iron Maiden Powerslave"Powerslave" is Iron Maiden at their height of perfection. Following this album, Maiden started experimenting more, and prior to this album, Maiden rocked just a bit harder than they ever would again. What is so amazing about "Powerslave" is how it's nestled between those two styles; musical diversity and intricacy and pure rock anthems are combined brilliantly on this to create one hell of a classic metal record. Everything I love about old school Maiden is right here; catchy rock anthems like "Two Minutes to Midnight" and "Aces High", or more technically proficient songs with Maiden's signature layered guitar work like "Duellists" or "Back in the Village". It also ends with the grandiose epic, "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which is one of the greatest songs in the history of metal. "Powerslave" also features the godlike wail of Bruce Dickinson, one of the most talented vocalists in all of rock music. "Powerslave" has everything a Maiden fan wants- fanastic guitar work, catchy rockers, a monster ending, and of course, the best fucking album art EVER. But seriously, "Powerslave" is the most rocking fucking metal album ever made, and even though it might hold as many catchy anthems as "Number of the Beast", it boasts any guitar players dream; the perfect combination of catchy rockers and beautifully layered harmonies. Up the irons. But really any audio recording of Bruce Dickinson singing any type of melody is a legit 5/5Kashiwa Daisuke Program Music IKashiwa Daisuke is a japanese composer most known for this album, the two track "Program Music I". While Daisuke has never enjoyed any type of mainstream acclaim (in america anyway), this album is normally considered his opus, and has gathered quite a cult following. Program Music is actually a term for music thats sole purpose is to serve as a score for some type of imagery or film, however, to my knowledge, no film has used any of the music Daisuke has composed here. Instead, I've found that once I get trapped within Daisuke's dense and beautiful compositions, colorful imagery spontaneously combusts out of every corner. Daisuke made most of the music here digitally, but I still find the combination of luscious strings, Daisuke's wonderfully melodic piano playing and haunting glitches and spliced vocal samples to all come together perfectly to create the most divine instrumental music I've ever heard in my life. This album is literally flawless, engaging, intense, varied and absolutely beautifully put together. While Daisuke will probably never top this, it's still good to know that he has the capacity to do great things, and his originality shines through on here moreso than with any other artist on any other album. "Program Music I" is a dazzling piece of art that is just as beautiful musically as it is colorfully. Kayo Dot Choirs of the EyeThe album where Toby Driver assumes his position as most adventurous and ambitious musician in the modern music scene. Possibly the best record he's ever done, flawless in it's execution and fully heart stopping right down to every melody you can find. "Marathon" may have the most pulverizing climax that I've ever heard. It might be the most amazing thing Toby has ever put together. "A Pitcher of Summer" is short and to the point, easily the perfect bridge between "Marathon" and the incredibly atmospheric "The Manifold Curiosity" which uses repetition in it's first half to seduce your ears, and then evolves into a much louder, sophisticated composition that gets more and more intense until it's end. The last couple of minutes are incredibly gripping and magical. The next two tracks, "Wayfarer" and the mammoth closer "The Antique" both use crushing density and snippets of minimalism , two completely opposite techniques too create incredibly varied movements to help end the album on the most beautiful of notes. Kayo Dot's "Choirs of the Eye" has a gorgeous, cinematic flow, feels complete, and shifts between soft, classical feeling sections and dissonant, jarring metal sections seamlessly. Toby Driver's magnum opus is first venture with Kayo Dot. His melodies are dreamlike, his cleans hypnotizing, and his shrieks terrifying. All of the elements of every note, every vocal, every lush string section, every malicious heavy section and every transition between each weaves together to create the most mesmerizing musical experience to ever grace my ears.King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson KingRobert Fripp is quite the musical mind. Creative force and led guitarist behind legendary progressive rock band King Crimson, Fripp is sometimes penned as a little indulgent and mechanical, and while he might not be the most animated guitar player, hes a varied composer with an incredible sense of humor. While his work with KC was always inconsistent, acclaimed debut "In the Court of the Crimson King" is a flawless piece of art made light years ahead of its time, and a truly perfect album. While I struggle to connect with it lyrically (though most prog bands write pretty awful lyrics, KC usually being no exception despite consistently writing funny ones), musically, vocally and atmospherically, this record is simply perfect. From the infectious opener, the heavy "21st Century Schizoid Man" (which is so out there for it's time, it literally sounded 40 years ahead of everything else), to the beautiful ballad "I Talk to the Wind", to the epic closer "The Court of the Crimson King", King Crimson's debut flaunts a masterful combination of rock, jazz and classical music to form one coherent, lovely piece of music. While some might criticize the second portion of "Moonchild" for being noodly and pointless, it was one of the first songs to bring atmospheric avant garde jazz to the rock world, and I personally have a lot of fun with that section, and applaud it for being so out there. "In the Court of the Crimson King" is flawless.mewithoutYou A to B: LifemewithoutYou is an incredibly varied and unique band. They've covered territory from post-hardcore and emo, to artsy indie rock, to baroque pop and folk, and they've done all of that exceptionally well. Unfortunately, "A to B: Life", their debut full length is overshadowed by their other work. It's the most passionate, rawest and most jarring mwY album there is. While they may have struck gold with the two releases that came after this, this one just has a tone and a rawness to it that draws me too it more than any of their other work. And unlike all of their other full length albums, this doesn't have one bad song. "The Cure for Pain" is an incredible closer, that features an acoustic reworked version of my favorite mwY song "I Never Said that I was Brave", and is the most overlooked tune in their whole discography. Aaron has always been an eccentric but incredible vocalist, with talky, poetic lyrics and a powerful voice with which to sell those lyrics. On "A to B: Life" Aaron's vocals are at their most powerful, his lyrics at their most lucid and interesting. "A to B: Life" is my favorite post-hardcore album of all time, my favorite mwY album, and an overlooked jem in the indie rock world.Miles Davis Jack JohnsonMiles was the coolest mother fucker to ever live, he was really a fascinating guy. While the other guys from the same era could play faster and livelier, Davis was at the forefront of nearly every jazz movement from 1949 up until his death. He did bop, fusion, avant garde and experimental jazz better tham everyone else. "A Tribute to Jack Johnson" has a unique atmosphere and incredibly funky feel, and the amazing guitar playing of legend John McLaughlin. What sets this apart from every other Miles record is it's feel, it's tone, it's insanely bangin atmosphere. "Right Off" is a jammy, ridiculous, mess of brilliance that never fails to make me smile, while "Yestersnow" is more subdued and prettier, and serves as the perfect counter piece for the previous track. This is the best Miles album in my opinion. I find myself trapped within it's quirkiness and it's jammy feel, and I love how everything sounds on this one. A magnificent piece of work. This one is different from the rest, it's almost got too much soul.Nick Drake Pink MoonAfter a really great debut and a slightly shaky sophomore record, Nick Drake created an album that would only gain a massive amount of acclaim and applause 20 years after it was made, "Pink Moon". "Pink Moon" lyrically explores Drake's love for using things in nature as metaphors for other things, like death and depression. His voice is fucking beautiful. His guitar playing is absolutely wonderful and the tone is incredibly rich. The album is soothing, catchy and loveable despite feeling lonely and bare. The only problem with Drake's previous work were the occasionally awkward backing band arrangements that sometimes got in the way of Drake's genius. On "Pink Moon", this is no issue, because only a small and beautiful piano melody is present for10 seconds, and besides that, the album is a man, his amazing voice, his layered guitar playing, and his lyrics. It's bare, it's stark, and it's very melancholic, but this in no way derives from the beauty of "Pink Moon". Nothing is awkward, everything is beautiful, and Nick Drake created his masterpiece in just a total of four hours of recording. "Pink Moon" is a timeless masterpiece that even with the acclaim it's garnered today, is still overshadowed by many of Drake's contemporaries who didn't write music half this beautiful. Opeth Blackwater ParkLet me start by stating a fact- This is better than Still Life. The elitists on this site are literally afraid of any Opeth that doesn't stick to raw death metal, and unfortunately thats just criminal. "Blackwater Park" is a nearly flawless masterpiece that brings together Mikael's best melodies and overall best band performance to create a powerhouse of a progressive metal record. The clean and beautiful production of Steven Wilson doesn't hurt either. I really drool all over this album, its just too damn good not to. "Bleak" is fucking amazing, "The Leper Affinity" is an epic opener, "Patterns" makes me cry and the title track ends the album on the most epic of notes. This fucking album is such a powerful, huge, atmospherically dense piece of metal and it's really flawless in my opinion. Opeth's riffs and guitar work are at their peak here, as are the folky, clean dual guitar passages that are used perfectly in moderation and in all the right spots. Fucking awesome album. It's worth the claim, it really is.Pink Floyd AnimalsLet me start by saying that "Animals" is overshadowed by every Pink Floyd album. Every single one. Because, in my opinion, this is a masterpiece, and possibly the best album ever made-seriously. I'm not even gonna write an essay about the lyrics here- we all know Waters used brilliant metaphors to compare animals to people in the business world, their thoughts and actions, and what kind of people they were. But besides all that, musically, this is also pretty fucking astounding. Sandwiched between two tiny folk rock companion pieces "Pigs on the Wing Parts 1 and 2" are three of rock musics most brilliant songs. "Dogs" is an essential piece of music, and possibly the best song ever made, featuring Waters brilliant lyricism, amazing melodies, a jaw dropping yet simple set of guitar solos from Gilmour and a beautifully put together ambient section. "Dogs" is Pink Floyd's best song, it's just perfect. "Sheep" and "Pigs" are also outstanding songs, both again featuring Waters brilliant lyrics, great melodies and absolutely wonderful ambient sections that somehow, never get boring. These three songs all kind of follow the same structure, and all is better for it, it provides a sense of connection between the songs musically. "Animals" flows brilliantly, criticizes society and the business world perfectly, and is not a second too long, it's wonderful. Honestly that second solo in "Dogs" is the best thing I've ever heard. Sufjan Stevens IllinoisThough I'm not such a fan of his other work, "Illinoise" is the biggest, most cinematic album I've ever heard. Every song on here comes together like puzzle pieces; the flow is flawless and each song has something about it I love. Even what is considered filler isn't really filler, it just helps the album flow like one solid piece of music. it's too bad Sufjan decided to ditch this style for his old pyschy electronic bullshit, he made really beautiful music this way. Great stories behind the songs and incredibly intricate and dense compositions are what makes this album a real winner. It's fucking awesome. I gotta say, its very hard for an album with over 20 songs to be this fucking good. Usually you'll encounter filler-which some people claim this album has- but it all works together to form, one giant masterpiece that just never gets dull. I love the whole sincere yet complex album Sufjan has created here. Way better than his other stuff.The Beatles RevolverThe Beatles are, culturally, the most important band in the history of the world- but there's no reason to discuss that- we all know what they did. What is debatable however is which one of their albums is best, and for me, it's gotta be 1965's "Revolver". After "Help!" The Beatles took their catchy pop, spiced it up with smart lyrics and musical experimentation, and started really breaking the boundaries of pop and rock. With "Revolver", they made a virtually flawless pop album, featuring some of their best tunes, and a sound that I immediately fell in love with. It's simply the most consistent Beatles album and has some real pop classics that I find myself obsessed with. "Eleanor Rigby", "Taxman", "And Your Bird Can Sing" are all absolute fucking classics, and all the other songs are excellent as well. It's got my favorite Beatle vocals, favorite Beatle harmonies, favorite Beatle songs, favorite Beatle sound and, in my opinion, is the best pop album ever made. And usually when it comes to rock music I prefer sad, sappy melancholic shit but this album is really happy and stuff, but really its flawless.The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in AmericaGlimmering with sharp hooks, soaring melodies, explosive choruses and impeccably detailed storytelling, The Hold Steady create their magnum opus, and a collective example of everything they do well perfected. Before Boys and Girls, Finn's storytelling was still goddamn brilliant, but the hooks, melodies and compositions weren't always there to leave a lasting impression. With this album, Finn's incredible detail surrounding fictional rock n roll lifestyles of the dense characters he's created is perfectly complimented by enormous vocal melodies and gripping choruses. The songs feel better constructed then ever before and the stories, while not as ridiculously deep or as cinematic as those on almost rock opera "Separation Sunday" still recreates the rock n roll type lifestyle in a smart, rich way. Finn sings of girls being able to predict horse races (it's smarter and better done that it sounds), things going from bad to worse and getting busted by cops (and holy shit are those lyrics done incredibly well), characters from albums past catching up, getting high drunk fucked up and everything associated with that. The best part about it is that it's all done so eloquently, and with incredibly catchy melodies to back it up. "Citrus", "Hot Soft Light", "Southtown Girls" and "Chips Ahoy" are all incredibly infectious, "Stuck Between Stations" is an incredibly rockin' opener, and "First Night" is a gorgeous ballad, possibly the best the band has done. Rock n' roll played the perfect way.The Mars Volta De-Loused in the ComatoriumPitchfork Media needs to stop being gay and learn to prog! Nah but seriously, as a huge prog fan, I enjoy this album on a ridiculous level. I love how easily TMV were able to combine the catchy melodies and instrumentals with latin-fusion and salsa and omg just a whole bunch of shit to create a consistent, catchy piece of art. Even the lyrics aren't THATTTTTTTTTT bad. Omar's guitar work on here is really great, and its highlighted exactly where it needs to be, and they integrate the whole spanish thing really well here without being annoying or boring. "De-Loused in the Comatorium" is my favorite Volta record, and one of the best executed and catchiest prog records ever recorded. Sometimes I just wanna chill and relax to "Televators", sometimes I'll dance out too "Drunkship of Lanterns". It's got everything that's great about The Mars Volta, including huge melodies, perfect pacing, crazy/catchy percussion, and while Volta may struggle now to stay relevant and compose actual music, this album shows us that these guys do have a masterpiece in them after all. It's frantic, quick, varied, ridiculous, overblown and virtually flawless. Even the psychedelic jam sections don't get boring, everything falls perfectly in place.The National AlligatorCriminally overlooked in it's genre, "Alligator" is The National's loudest, most aggressive work to date. Diversity is possibly it's best feat, the album shifts seamlessly between slow, moving ballads like "The Geese of Beverly Road", "Daughters of the Soho Riots" and "Karen", while also boasting loud rockers like "Abel", "All the Wine", "Secret Meeting" and "Mr. November". The album is practically perfect, and it has something for everybody. Matt's lyrics are incredibly witty, mostly dealing with the end of the free and arrogant stages in ones life, love, and a lot more. It serves as the perfect prequel to 2007's "Boxer" which is the absolutely perfectly counterpiece for this, as that album is slower and darker, and more about dealing with newly found adulthood and having to leave Alligator's childish feel behind. But in this albums case, it's young, naive nature is compelling, detailed, and expressed beautifully through a flawless set of songs. "Alligator" walks the line between beautiful and rebellious, brilliant yet naive, and remains one of the few reasons The National are my favorite band. Oh, and Matt gets fucking loud on this one. Oh and the final five song stretch is absolutely magnificent. Classiest band on earth.The National BoxerAs of right now, The National are my absolute favorite band of all time. Not just because I drool over every subdued sound that Berninger's voice makes, not because their music is extraordinarily infectious and beautifully put together, and not because every member of the band continues to write memorable parts with their instruments, but because of the lyrical connection I've had with them, starting with "Alligator". Since then, they have explained the realities of life, growing up, realizing you're not as cool as you think you are, experiencing a working life and relationships, and so many other topics that mean everything to me as a teenager about to enter life on my own. "Boxer" is the album that takes a turn from the louder, faster, more arrogant "Alligator". "Boxer"'s turn is one that takes us into reality, the end of innocence, and the realization that being an adult sucks. "Another uninnocent elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults" is what Matt hums on "Mistaken for Strangers", which sums up the album brilliantly. Lyrically, this album tackles a lot of different life challenges, but brilliant lyrics aren't the only thing that contribute to this being my favorite rock album of all time. "Boxer" is warm, inviting, and features some of the loveliest arrangements I've ever heard. It's also the most subdued and slowest of their work, turning some people away instantly, but with time, it's grown on me in every way, and I respect the slow, more one paced yet beautiful feel of the album.4.5 superbAgalloch Pale Folklorereally prettttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyAgalloch Ashes Against the GrainI'm not such a fan of black/folk metal, with the exception of this band and a few others. It's not surprising that my favorite Agalloch album is the one with the least amount of black metal influence, it's the perfect combination of smooth folk metal with post-rock, and it's beautiful. It's one of the prettiest and most elegant metal records I've ever heard, and its a strange favorite since I'm not a fan of the genre. But I love this album so muchhh, the post-rock influence on here adds such a texture that Agalloch only toyed with before, but on here its brilliant and fully developed. Al Di Meola Elegant GypsyAl Di Meola Land of the Midnight SunAl Di Meola Tour De Force-LiveAlice in Chains DirtAmia Venera Landscape The Long ProcessionAnthrax Among the LivingAntoine Dufour ExistenceNostalgic value. More of a 3.5-4 on its best day but the melodies on here inspired me to get back into instrumental music. I remember when Candy Rat guys were all I listened too, and the truth is this guy is the most talented one.Arcade Fire FuneralAt the Drive-In In/Casino/OutBeardfish MammothBetween the Buried and Me The Silent CircusThough I do prefer Between the Buried and Me's new approach, there is just something so charming about the older, heavier, and more musically intense style. The experimental metalcore rawness is something that BTBAM have moved away from, but, despite "Colors" being their best offering, "The Silent Circus" remains my second favorite, the consistency is something that cannot be ignored. Their are some BTBAM classics on here, like "Aesthetic", "Mordecai" and "Ad a Dglgmut", and some overlooked gems such as "Camilla Rhodes" or "Destructo Spin". Fantastic record, and a style that BTBAM will never go back to again, so enjoy the one time metalcore masterpiece. Between the Buried and Me ColorsThe hate is understandable, but Ive always loved this and I love the way their music is composed. Even if it lacks emotion and catchy hooks it brings melodies together from all corners of the music spectrum, and throws in a lot of interesting shit in the mix, usually reworked versions of more ballsy metal sections of the music put to a different style. Again the hate for this style is understandable, but this is a gateway album that I still enjoy to this day, even if it's possible BTBAM are already starting to lose their edge with this style. Colors is simply a lot of fun.Between the Buried and Me Colors_Live555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555Black Sabbath ParanoidBlack Sabbath Black SabbathIt just has a tone, a darkness, that no other Sabbath album seems to encompass. Sure, all of Sabbath's early work is pretty sludgy/heavy, but this one is just something else.Bon Iver Bon Iver, Bon IverSo different then what you heard on For Emma, so different that I'm actually kind of upset at the new direction, but I won't deny it's greatness. It's no masterpiece as their 2008 LP, but it's damn good, and shows how Justin and Friends can do anything right.Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeSome of the strongest and most passionate music I;ve ever heard. The atmosphere, the lyrics and the vocals all come together to make a ridiculously consistent record that flows brilliantly. Jesse's melodies are amazing on here. While they may in a way rehash the same song formula throughout most of the record, its barely noticeable, and it works incredibly well. I know its like the sputnik way to just 5 this but its really grown to a point where I love every song, and I really find myself enamored with Jesse's lyrics however over emotional they may be. Album is awesome. oh if youre a teenager and your angsty and shit buy this or get it or something Built to Spill Keep It Like a SecretCamel MirageCave In Until Your Heart StopsUnfortunately, this site underrates this band and this album. This is an absolute metalcore classic, boasting incredible riffs, awesome atmosphere and brilliantly raw production from Kurt Ballou. To say that this is Cave In's masterpiece is an understatement, it's their opus by far. I saw a 2 review for this and read that the heavy parts were lame and uninspired I then proceeded to vomit. album slays dicksCave In JupiterCharles Mingus Mingus Ah UmCharles Mingus Cornell 1964 with Eric DolphyCity of Caterpillar City of CaterpillarPhenomenal screamo. Musically, the best screamo album I've heard, however there is one slight flaw. The actual screaming vocals themselves can be a bit weak at times, and seem to always be overshadowed by the crescendo's in the background. Still good vocals, but seem kind of meh in the end. However, the post-rock aspect does blend beautifully with emo texture; brilliant and atmospheric intros lead into heart-aching screamo breakdowns. Album is awesome.Coheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3Converge Petitioning the Empty SkyConverge Axe to FallCynic Focus555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555Cynic Traced in AirIt seems a little automated and robotic, but its a perfect album nonetheless. A huge fave of mine.Dark Tranquillity The GallerySometimes I forget. I forget that the best band in melodic death metal history is Dark Tranquillity, and sometimes I forget that their opus "The Gallery" is the best melodic death metal album in existence. Gorgeous vocals, clean and unclean, flawless integration of acoustic guitar riffs, eargasmic/harmonic dual leads, everything you would want from an album. I fucking love this band. Death SymbolicDeath Cab for Cutie TransatlanticismDefeater TravelsDefeater Lost GroundDefeater has become one of my favorite bands. I love the way they tell stories, its incredibly compelling stuff. I also love how they build melodies and bring songs together the right way. Lost Ground is a truly addicting and impressive EP, and one of my favorites.Do Make Say Think You, You're a History in RustRidiculous ambition and diversity lurk around every corner and behind every beautiful melody. Dream Theater AwakeThe least gay Dream Theater album that you will ever hear everEleventh He Reaches London The Good Fight For HarmonyElliott Smith XOElliott Smith Roman CandleIt's funny how people think this is one of his weaker albums, the immature awkwardness just helps the music explode.Elton John Madman Across the WaterEnvy A Dead Sinking StoryAfter just one listen cohesively, and only a few listens to each individual song, I can easily say that this is the best screamo album I've ever heard.Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch!Fates Warning Perfect SymmetryGenesis Selling England by the PoundGlassjaw Coloring BookIm not one to 5 things so quickly. In fact, I just recently starting getting into Glassjaw. I barely know any of their music well besides this, however I had a true eargasm during the entire thing and it just clicked fully with me faster than anything ever has. I love the sound, the production, the offbeat lyrics, intense atmosphere and grandiose melodies. I just love everything about what Glassjaw has done on here. It may not be perfect, but its not far from it. This sounds like music from the future. Kind of like a better Deftones with a darker, Radiohead-esque spin on it. Everything on here works for me Im in love with the entire thing. Daytona White is heart stopping.Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heavenin its best moments the most rewarding godspeed, but there is a little 'fat' on here at times. Not that I don't like the creepy sections of amusical weirdness, but it does get a bit excessive. still fantastic though, static is just like fucking nutsGreen Day Dookieso gooddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddHarmonium L'heptadeHerbie Hancock Head HuntersIn Vain (NO) The Latter RainOne of the most refresh and diverse metal albums I've heard in a long time. The riffs are awesome, the clean sections are varied and In Vain has simply created an engrossing record that despite a few cheesy interludes and moments of weakness, is really outstanding. Really awesome and underrated album. Octobers Monody is so awesome. However, upon multiple listens one huge flaw remains: its simply too long. It could have been condensed a bit. Still the shit though. It goes back and forth between a 4 and a 4.5. Some songs could have been left out, but some them are just ridiculously engaging. Fun, fresh, different, and still totally badass record.Into Eternity Buried in OblivionIron Maiden Somewhere in TimeIron Maiden Iron MaidenIron Maiden Live After DeathJaga Jazzist What We MustWhat I've been looking to find for the longest time. Jaga Jazzist are an enormous group of well-rounded musicians, 10 in fact. On "What We Must", Jazzist combine smooth jazz, post-rock, ambient and electronic music together to create a beautiful and eclectic piece of artistic awesomeness that is pretty much one of the most original styles I've ever heard. It's full of soothing jazz melodies, dreamy post-rock dynamics, and even a bit of electronic noise experimentation. It literally blew me away on first listen, I can't wait to let it grow more.Jeremy Soule The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim SoundtrackOne of the most uplifting, perfect complements to a games atmosphere. Jethro Tull AqualungJohann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048Johann Sebastian Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565John Coltrane A Love SupremeJohn Coltrane My Favorite ThingsMost would disagree with me when I call this Coltrane's opus, but for me it is. While being closely followed by A Love Supreme, My Favorite Things sees Coltrane at his best technically; the title track has a few sections of lightning fast arpeggios, the most difficult sax work that he's ever done. The album has many unique undertones; from the eargasmic, and mesmerizing feel of the title track, to the more relaxed and calm tone of "Every Time we Say Goodbye", My Favorite Things seems to be a record of many moods, many styles, and for that, it is my favorite from Coltrane.John Coltrane MeditationsJudas Priest PainkillerKing Crimson RedThis album is why I consider Robert Fripp to be the messiah.King Crimson LizardKo Otani Shadow of the Colossus: Roar of the EarthKraftwerk Autobahntitle track is fucking crazy my mom showed me this shit, i mean i always knew they existed but like damn this shit is fucking coolLaura Stevenson Sit ResistFinally, female-oriented indie rock that I can actually enjoy, it's the best album of the year actually. I was so surprised I fell in love with this, since I can't stand artists like Joanna Newsom. Hopefully more things will come from Laura Stevenson.Led Zeppelin Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IVIf Led Zeppelin's fourth studio album isn't the best hard rock album of all time, then I don't know what is. "IV" opens with two of Zep's most intense and in-your-face tunes; "Black Dog" and "Rock and Roll". The next two songs on the album are divine ballads, one is the folk-esque "Battle of Evermore" and the godlike "Stairway to Heaven". The next half of the disc contains the rockin' "Misty Mountain Hop", the experimental "Four Sticks", the breathtaking "Going to California" and the funky closer "When the Levee Breaks". There. I just briefly explained every song on Zeppelin's opus. That should be enough. This album is fucking perfect.Listener Wooden HeartMahavishnu Orchestra The Inner Mounting FlameMastodon LeviathanHEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. HEARTS ALIVE. maudlin of the Well BathToby Driver, creative force behind maudlin of the Well, Kayo Dot, and many other underground avant-garde musical projects, has made brilliant music, and horrible music. His desire to always push the limits is remarkable, when it works. When it doesn't, we just get boring music. "Bath" falls into the first category, because in Driver's expansive discography it's the most successful and remarkable thing he's done. I'll be honest, I know Toby is passionate about his lyrics, but I really don't know what the fuck he's talking about on here............that said the music itself is perfect. It actually successfully combines and juxtaposes art rock, chamber music, blues, jazz, post-rock and avant-garde with death/doom metal to create one of the most diverse and interesting albums ever made. He really got everything right on this one. We have melodically beautiful pieces such as "The Blue Ghost" and "Marids Gift of Art", dissonant and heavy masterpieces such as "They Arent all Beautiful" and "The Ferryman" and brilliant guitar work from Toby. Oh and his vocals rule too! This album seriously is unlike anything I've ever heard, and its completely deserving of the ridiculous cult following its gotten. "Bath" fucks around with every style you could imagine, but still manages to give us awesome melodies and bangin' riffs, which is what we all want from metal. It's not an album for every mood or time, and its not the catchiest piece of music, but its a dynamic, beautifully arranged, darkest metal album I've ever heard.maudlin of the Well Part the SecondThis is brilliant. Its prolly even better than Body Map. I love it.Maybeshewill Sing The Word Hope In Four-Part HarmonyOn this record, which is outrageously mesmerizing, Maybeshewill blend hard rock with a highly technical post-rock and electronica, and holy fuck does it work. I was absolutely speechless by the end of the album. I think I actually used the phrase "Holy shit" about six times during my first listen. What's so captivating about this record is how it combines slick and gorgeous piano sections, electronic samples and luscious atmospherics with it's heavier, much more raw, rockingsections. The hard rock sections are intense and always incorporate some type of impressive guitar work, whether it be a tapping section, or a layered dual harmony. I love the play between the badass heavy sections and the atmospheric, dense sections; sometimes they are clearly separated from each other by interludes, sometimes used together to form a giant boulder of epicness, sometimes they climax together at certain points, and then decompress in separate sections. Obviously, The combination of raw hard rock and brilliantly produced electronic/ambient sections is mind-blowing, and the perfectly placed 'talking vocal' sections are chilling and magnificent; the lyrical content revolves the bands strong political views and ideas; actually, all of the words you hear on the album are simply samples from other mediums. And they use samples brilliantly, not only to make a point, but to assist the music itself. Love it. Honestly though, its more of like a 4 maybe 4.5, but this album really got me to become interested in post-rock and all instrumental music. It was a gateway for me.Maybeshewill To The Skies From A HillsideMaybeshewill I Was Here For a Moment, Then I Was GoneMegadeth Rust in PeaceMetallica Master of PuppetsloveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeMetallica Ride the LightningI LIKE CHEESBURGERS YES I DO I LIKE CHEESEBURGERS HOW ABOUT YOU???Metallica ...And Justice for AllMetallica was one of the first bands I ever loved unconditionally. You can question their choices now, and definitely argue that each member is a complete dick, but 1988's "...And Justice for All", while flawed (bass, song lengths) is perfect for me, and my favorite metal album of all time. The thing that makes me choose this over the previous three records is not only the nostalgic value attached to it, but the raw, dissonant, unrelenting heaviness. Some cast this off as boring or stale, but what they see as boring or stale I see as raw and powerful. "The Shortest Straw" has the best Metallica solo, the title track is brilliant, "Blackened" is the perfect opener and obviously "One" is easily Metallica's best song. To be honest, I never listen to Metallica any more. That part of my life is over, but I still love record with extreme passion, and it's still one of my favorite albums ever. This is vintage shit.Metallica Live Shit: Binge & PurgemewithoutYou Catch For Us the FoxesWHY IS THIS BAND SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDmewithoutYou Brother, SisterI didn't really 'get' the praise for this at first, but "Brother, Sister" deserves every last drop of praise it receives, as it combines emotional post-hardcore with artistic indie to create a style that I've never heard before. Vocalist Aaron Weiss goes back and forth between talking and singing melodies, and that balance is always equal. He's like a poet; every line flows into the next one perfectly. One of the best albums I've heard in a long time, and one that surely only grow more on me throughout the summer, as I plan to listen to this masterpiece multiple times, only to further enjoy its perfection.Miles Davis Miles SmilesOne of the best bop records in the Davis catalog; a brilliant line-up, a very smooth and polished sound, each musician is at the top of their game, the songs all bring their own emotion and mood, something I always look for in a great jazz album. This is an amazing and overlooked Davis album, and needs to be checked out by any jazz fan. The transitions from mood to mood are flawless.Miles Davis Sketches of SpainEasily overlooked, if not completely over-shadowed by other less triumphant attempts, "Sketches of Spain" is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece of jazz. The Spanish tinge on here is something that Miles really only did this one time, and it couldn't of worked out better. This album is perfect for any mood, ideal for any day, fitting for any situation. Every instrument collides with another instrument throughout every track, beautifully may I add, and yet the album never seems to overwhelm to a point of confusion. One of the few Miles albums to encompass the use of a full orchestra. Relaxing, smooth, and brilliant, the Miles Davis possible opus "Sketches of Spain" is undoubtedly a grand success, and an experiment that has the most positive outcome of any experiment by Miles. Amazing.Miles Davis In a Silent WayA gateway for Miles Davis and a departure from any kind of hard bop that he still had left; the concept of avant-garde, ridiculous arrangements, and long songs was first used at it's most mature by Miles on here, and these concepts would later be explored on his next album "Bitches Brew" which is considered to be the complete version of this album. I prefer this one because it is short and concise, memorable and revolutionary, there would be no "Bitches Brew" without this, and we all know that if that album didn't exist, progressive rock, symphonic rock and especially Jazz, would not be the same.Miles Davis AghartaMiles Davis 'Round About MidnightMinus the Bear Planet of IceMinus the Bear is a quirky little band that has undergone many stylistic changes throughout their impressive career. When they debuted their first full length, "High Refined Pirates", they established themselves as an indie rock/math rock outfit. However, with their next less appealing, and less fun effort "Menos El Oso" they had stepped up the studio electronics, toned down the relentless guitar tapping, but the album was too inconsistent (though still excellent overall) to match up to Pirates. Each record had their advantages. "Planet of Ice", the first indie album I ever loved, combines the fun and energy that "Pirates" had, with the more refined melodies and diversity of "Menos", while adding a new seriousness and a new groove. The electronics and diveristy in type of digital effects used perfectly complements the outstanding songwriting and vocals. This is a gorgeous record, and it has a shitload of replay value.Misery Signals MirrorsMisery Signals ControllerOne of the best fucking straight up metalcore CD's ever fucking made. fucking great stuff on here Mono / World's End Girlfriend Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder RefrainMurder by Death Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them?Neil Young After the Gold RushIt's taken me a while to realize it, but after some intense listening, I realize that this is one of the best folk/rock albums of all time. Only one or two duds are on here; the rest of the tracks are all classics. His most consistent album, his most engaging album, and his best album, "After the Gold Rush" is a folk masterpiece.Neil Young On the BeachNeurosis The Eye of Every StormNeutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Seaawesome aweesome awesome too band all jeffs other stuff is lame as shitOpeth My Arms, Your HearseOpeth Ghost Reveries"Ghost Reveries" is a fantastic record, and is Opeth's second best effort. This album is virtually flawless. I've grown to appreciate this more and more as time went on, from "Ghost of Perdition" and all the way through "Isolation Years". Not a bad track to be found, and a perfect representation of Opeth's sound. You can't go wrong with any of the epics here, "Ghost of Perdition" and all of it's glory, "Harlequin Forest" and its constant change from dark to light, "The Grand Conjuration" and all of it's ugly, malicious aesthetics and even "The Baying of the Hounds" and it's catchy melodies. Opeth's best besides "Blackwater Park", and a record that will not be forgotten. It's a mystery as to why I actually prefer 'old Opeth' overall, but one thing is for certain: Their two flawless works are from the 21st century.Opeth The Roundhouse TapesOpeth In Live Concert at the Royal Albert HallHOW. THE FUCK. IN THE WORLD. DO YOU NOT 5 THIS. IF YOU LIKE OPETH AND EVEN LIKE BLACKWATER PARK A LITTLE THIS IS A 5/5.HOW. THE FUCK. IN THE WORLD. DO YOU NOT 5 THIS. IF YOU LIKE OPETH AND EVEN LIKE BLACKWATER PARK A LITTLE THIS IS A 5/5.HOW. THE FUCK. IN THE WORLD. DO YOU NOT 5 THIS. IF YOU LIKE OPETH AND EVEN LIKE BLACKWATER PARK A LITTLE THIS IS A 5/5.HOW. THE FUCK. IN THE WORLD. DO YOU NOT 5 THIS. IF YOU LIKE OPETH AND EVEN LIKE BLACKWATER PARK A LITTLE THIS IS A 5/5.HOW. THE FUCK. IN THE WORLD. DO YOU NOT 5 THIS. IF YOU LIKE OPETH AND EVEN LIKE BLACKWATER PARK A LITTLE THIS IS A 5/5. i dont 5 dvds though but this does rule hardPink Floyd The Dark Side of the MoonPink Floyd Wish You Were HerePoison the Well The Opposite of DecemberPorcupine Tree Fear of a Blank PlanetProtest the Hero KeziaThis album is whiny, noodly, indulgent, and actually really awesome. It means a lot to me musically too as a guitar player, I love the dual guitar work here. Arif's lyrics on this are really brilliant and even though some people hate Rody's voice, I absolutely love it. The melodies are the catchiest melodies ever on a metal album, the guitar work is fucking great, and the whole technical metal opera thing has never been done more to my liking. I like sweeps, I like Rody's vocals, I love his melodies, and I love everything about Protest the Hero's metal opera "Kezia". This is their best, most coherent, most lyrically amazing album, and one that has been with me for a long time. I love every song, every melody, every act, and I love the ending to it all with "A Plateful of Our Dead". "Kezia" fucking rules, but I can understand the hate these guys sometimes get, but none of it bothers me because I still love this type of stuff, and I love the effort PTH put into this musically and lyrically, it's just one of my favorite metal albums.Protest the Hero FortressThe best DVD that I've ever seen for a band. A flawless live performance of Opeth's best album for beginning to end, and a second set featuring one song from each Opeth album. It couldn't get any better, the camera work, sound, and performance itself were all flawless. It's fucking Opeth, you can't lose.Radiohead OK ComputerYeah this is pretty much a lot better than Kid A soRush HemispheresThis is by far the best Rush album, and undoubtedly one of the best progressive rock albums ever recorded. Say Anything ...Is a Real Boy"Is a Real Boy" is a witty, hilarious, and overall ridiculously unique pop punk album that doesnt stick to the conventions of the genre to succeed. Max Bemis will probably never top what he did on here. The ironic, sarcastic nature of some of the songs combined with great instrumentation and amazing lyrics makes for some of the most fun I've ever had with an album.Say Anything ...Is A Real Boy (re-release)Scale the Summit The CollectiveSigur Ros Agætis byrjunSigur Ros Takk...Sigur Ros SæglópurSigur Ros Heima (DVD)SikTh Death of a Dead Daysleepmakeswaves ...and so we destroyed everythingSoft Machine ThirdSuis La Lune Quiet, Pull the Strings!GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD skramzzzzzSymphony X The Divine Wings of TragedyNot a power metal guy, and while this is more of a neo-classical power-prog thing (yep), I can;t deny it's genius. A gorgeous epic, awesome dual leads, excellent integration of neo-classical elements, epic vocals, and not too much cheese. This is a freaking classic. 100 %. There is no right or wrong with this album, because there is only one answer: phenomenal. Oh and the wankery is sweeeeet. Get this shit. This is a sick album, one that I will never forget, even though I don't listen too it often enough.System of a Down System of a DownSystem of a Down ToxicityAnother personal level record. The lyrics are just as bizarre as they are a perfect reflection of society, and the riffs are infectious. My fave, maybe tied with their debut.The Allman Brothers Band Eat a PeachThe Beatles Rubber SoulEarly music by the Beatles is a more vocally dominated pop sound, charming as hell sometimes. Later Beatles music is much more musically diverse and progressive, and while overall, the later Beatles work IS the better side of their career, they did lose a bit of their vocal charm. You know, thick melodies and harmonies, hitting all sorts of crazy notes. So why is "Rubber Soul" my favorite Beatles album? Because it has the best of both worlds. "Rubber Soul" is the first 'musically superior' and last 'strictly pop' Beatles album. It has the charm and the focus on vocal layers, it contains fantastic lyrics, AND it has some great musical experimentation in the mix. It's the combination of ""Revolver" and "A Hard Day's Night" in some ways, and one couldn't ask for better. All that vocal charm of the early days, mixed with the experimentation of the later days. A masterpiece, and the best pop album ever made.The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandThe Dave Brubeck Quartet Time OutThe Dear Hunter The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection)Despite the fact that the Red EP falls flat for me, the rest of this collection has pretty much showed me that Casey Creszenco is the best, and most varied songwriter in modern music. How you make 9 EP's, all showcasing recreations of different musical styles work so consistently is utterly astounding. Black and Indigo both explore the dark and light elements of electronica while Orange recreates 70's blues brilliantly by channeling both Hendrix and The Doors to create a familiar, yet somehow unique take on such a classic genre. Yellow is a tribute to cute yet sophisticated pop of the late 60's in vein of bands such as The Beatles and The Who, while Green is a stunning look at alternative indie/folk. I could go on and on about how well Casey has handled recreating these genres while still offering more familiar Dear Hunter sounds such as those found on Violet and White, while slapping his signature vocal melodies and introspective lyrics upon every song on here. Only a few moments fall flat, yet its barely noticeable on one of the most consistent, diverse and fun releases I've ever heard. It deserves all the attention and praise it has received, hands down.The Dear Hunter GreenIt's heartfelt, its got a little country influence (and its not gay!), it's got some of Casey's best melodies and it's one of the most enjoyable EP's on the album. I don'rt really like "Crow and Cackle" but everything else it really really excellent. The Dear Hunter YellowThe Dear Hunter are fucking around with the classics still, this time with The Beatles. And guess what? They fucking rule at it. There's one song that irks me a bit, but the rest are a really great recreation of artsy 60's pop. Casey hit the nail on the head with this one, not as gay as it could have been.The Dear Hunter VioletThe best 'experiment' (though not much of one for the Dear Hunter) on the Color Spectrum is the one that sounds most similar to their old work. Sure, they proved they can play/write songs in many genres (and do it masterfully) but by Violet being the best EP, they proved that they are best at this style. Theatrical, intricate, catchy, and everything I love about this band. Every song on here is flawless. It showcases everything amazing about Casey as a songwriter; the songs have great stories behind them, brilliant melodies, lush instrumentation, excellent composition and amazing atmosphere. These four songs exemplify everything that the Dear Hunter are great at, but compiles it into a short collection that never bores or falls flat. It's weird, and definitely a little quirky, and I'm not surprised in the few that find this to be the worst EP, it takes a weird kind of ear to really enjoy something like "Look Away", which is the best type of cheesy you can ask for. It's definitely the EP on the album thats gonna divide people the most, but I love it, for how it uses cheesiness to its advantage and showcases some of Casey's best songwriting maneuvers. He's the star of the show here. Four of the bands best songs make for, if you consider any of the EP's on here independent from each other, the band's best work to date.The Dear Hunter WhiteChrist. What a fucking way to end the collection. Similar to Violet, White pursues the more catchy and energetic side of The Dear Hunter, while still being intricate and dense. "Lost But Not All Gone" is one of the best songs the band has ever written, and it allows you to leave this album on the best note possible.The Decemberists The Crane WifeThe Dillinger Escape Plan Miss MachineThe Dillinger Escape Plan Option ParalysisAlbum of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year. Album of the year.The Doors L.A. WomanThe Mars Volta Frances the MuteWould be their best if Cassandra wasn't so baddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddThe Mountain Goats We Shall All Be HealedThe Mountain Goats All Hail West TexasThe National High VioletThe Ocean PrecambrianThe Red Chord Fused Together in Revolving DoorsI 5'd it. I 5'd it because it's the best and most adventurous grind album ever made. I 5'd this album after hearing it only three times in full, in one night nonetheless. This record instantly struck me as a stand out and opus for it's genre. This blew me the fuck away. Phenomenal vocals, amazing experimentation, badass riffs, nice clean sections, whatever the fuck. Holy shit. I 5'd this, and I don't see any reason to ever take the 5 away. Like holy fuck I feel really weird 5'ing this after knowing it for one day, but I don't fucking care. This album is unbelievable. The Red Chord Fed Through the Teeth MachineThe Rural Alberta Advantage HometownsCatchy, beautifully produced and moving, its really an album worth getting into, because once you grow into it its really rewarding. This band has an interesting way of making every song a story, once I started listening more I had to look up the lyrics for each song, I wanted to be able to see the stories as best as possible. It also helps that the band writes warm melodies and great hooks, oh and their drummer is EXCELLENT. Great Indie-Folk, beautifully put together and definitely worth the listen, and many listens after.The Tallest Man on Earth The Wild HuntI now love everything that I promised myself I would always hate. This blew me away. The Twilight Sad Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen WintersThe Weakerthans Left and LeavingThe Who QuadropheniaThe Zombies Odessey and Oracleomg come on this album is so fun why did nobody dig this when it came out u buttholesrThelonious Monk Brilliant CornersToby Driver In the L..L..Library LoftTrophy Scars Hospital Music for the Aesthetics of LanguageThe lyrics in this are beyond ridiculous, but they are simply too fun and are delivered perfectly, and lets get real the music is prolly the best spastic post hxc ever made. I've been listening too this for a long time, and I finally realize how perfect it is. Sorry Trophy Scars noobs, this is their crowning achievement, their magnum opus by a mile. And Jerry is a mad man on here 5/5Unexpect Fables of the Sleepless EmpireI mean its prolly not a 5 but.....it's my favorite of the year and the musicianship/technique really slays. I also just love their style, sometimes they sound retarded (in a good way) and it makes me smile, or sometimes they unleash a frenzy of arpeggios stacked up against eachother and it makes my jaw drop. This band isnt for everyone, but if youre into anything over the top and ridiculous give it a spin its fucking sweetttt.Various Artists (Indie) Dark Was The NightWeezer PinkertonI actually listened to Weezer a long long time ago religiously. When I go back now, I cannot stand most of their music, some of it is so stupid and indulgent and omg wtf. It's weird though, Pinkerton is a true masterpiece yet it's the same exact style Weezer has always been playing-except on here it owns face. Weezer has changed a lot since their first three records, however, stylistically, they are still the same band they've always been, except now they play that style the worst way possible, while on here, it works like a charm. Pinkerton is warm, witty, catchy and satisfying. Unfortunately, with the amount of ego Rivers has up his ass they band will never make good music again. Despite all that, Pinkerton remains a timeless, brilliant record.Wes Montgomery Smokin' at the Half Notewowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww this was incredible. one of the best ive heard in a while. Wintersleep Welcome To The Night SkyThere's something about this record that is so warm, so inviting, so comforting. Wintersleep is one of those bands who never get enough credit for the music they put out. "Welcome to the Night Sky" has everything that I love about music wrapped up into a neat, beautiful little record. Paul's incredibly simple yet warm melodies pop up all over the record exactly when you crave them, and the arrangements are simply breathtaking at some points. It's not a record that breaks any boundaries lyrically-though Paul is an excellent songwriter he's no Elliott Smith or Thom Yorke, but he still writes incredibly loveable, catchy music that is much better than it seems at the surface. "Welcome to the Night Sky" is a loveable, consistent, musically engaging album with melodies that can get stuck in your head for days, and it's not only Wintersleep's greatest achievement, but probably one of the most underrated rock albums in modern music. There's something so captivating about songs like "Oblivion" and "Laser Beams"; their songs that you want to listen too. This album is a true winner.Yasushi Yoshida Grateful GoodbyeYes Close to the EdgeSo I just rated this on Neutralthunder, don't know why I hadn't had this rated before. An essential progressive album, and the best YES album along with their 1971 effort. The play and technicality between the instruments is so fucking engaging and captivating, the vocals are top notch, each track brings a different texture to the table. The classic opener "Close to the Edge" is possibly the best progressive epic from the classic prog era, and YES sure showed the world that they were capable of more than they had done in the past before this was released. If you are a progressive music fan, and haven't heard this, then you are doing something wrong. Classic.Yes The Yes AlbumUnderrated compared to slightly inferior albums such as Fragile or Relayer, The Yes Album is the first true Progressive effort from YES, and it's a pretty brilliant one. While "I've Seen All Good People" is an awkward dud, the rest of the album flows phenomenally, and ends with the magnificent and key track "Perpetual Change". This is one of the best old school prog albums, and I'm glad I gave it another chance, after originally disregarding it as an important YES album.Yndi Halda Enjoy Eternal Bliss4.0 excellent...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead Source Tags and Codes7 Angels 7 Plagues Jhazmyne's LullabyThis is fucking kickass. Dandelion is absolutely nuts. 7A7P helped revolutionize a genre that in all its years hasn't created much that hits as hard as this does. It's heavy, chaotic and raw as fuck. Obviously it has it's fair share of fluidity flaws and its a tad samey, but its still kickass and easily better than "Of Malice"A Lot Like Birds Plan BSO many 5 moments on here its not even funny.......unfortunately sometimes what are even good ideas are used incorrectly and sound out of place. Aside from that, this is still truly phenomenal, it combines this quirky post-hardcore with mathy/proggy awesomeness to create a sound I've really never heard before......these guys (I think its one main guy who wrote most of it) could really write a masterpiece if they learned to still be controlled in their quirkiest moments. Ill be addicted to this for a while. Its got something for everybody.A Textbook Tragedy A Partial Dialogue Between Ghost and PriAgalloch The WhiteAgalloch The Silence of Forgotten LandscapesAgalloch are a truly mind-blowing band, and this DVD shows that they can perform the music they write very well. Because this type of music doesn't make for the most rocking show, I kind of lost focus at some points, but overall, the instrumentals were flawless and John's clean vocals and whisper screams were perfect. The set list was fantastic as well, and the black and white recording allowed the DVD to seem more raw and beautiful, untouched by the over-done production that it could of had. The black and white really suited the music well. Excellent performance by one of my favorite bands.Al Di Meola CasinoAl Di Meola Splendido HotelAlice in Chains Alice in ChainsAndrew Bird The Mysterious Production Of EggsAndrew Bird Armchair ApocryphaThis grew from a 3 all the way to a 4. One of the best indie/pop albums out there right now. Bird is a genius, and this is him at his peak.Andy McKee Art of MotionAnimals As Leaders Animals as LeadersAnthrax Spreading the DiseaseAntoine Dufour DevelopmentAntonio Vivaldi The Four SeasonsArsis A Celebration of GuiltArsis A Diamond for DiseaseAt the Drive-In Relationship of CommandAtheist Unquestionable PresenceAugust Burns Red ConstellationsFANBOYISM. FANBOYISM. FANBOYISM. FANBOYISM. FANBOYISM.Barren Earth Curse of the Red RiverBayside AcousticBayside BaysideBayside The Walking WoundedBeardfish Sleeping in Traffic: Part OneBeardfish Destined SolitaireBeirut The Flying Club CupBeirut Elephant GunBeirut The Rip TideBetween the Buried and Me The Parallax: Hypersleep DialoguesBlack Sabbath Master of RealityBlack Sabbath Sabbath Bloody SabbathBlack Sabbath Heaven and HellBotch An Anthology of Dead EndsBotch We Are the RomansBrand New Deja EntenduBrand New The HolidayBruce Springsteen Born to RunBruce Springsteen NebraskaThe only real problems with Nebraska are the few boring songs, and a few flat melodies in songs that can't hold my attention. Besides that, Springsteen's raw and incredibly haunting "Nebraska" is both brilliant and incredibly real. "Atlantic City" is possibly his best song, and "Mansion on the Hill" is equally amazing.Called to Arms Peril and the PatientCamel MoonmadnessCamel RajazCamel The Snow GooseCarissa's Wierd Songs About LeavingCaspian The Four TreesNot original, not shattering any post-rock boundaries, but there are some thrilling moments on here, and some absolutely gorgeous melodies and acoustic guitar work.Cave In Perfect Pitch BlackCave In Planets of Old Charles Mingus The Black Saint and the Sinner LadyCharles Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MingusCharles Mingus The ClownCharlie Parker Jam SessionChimaira ChimairaCircle Takes the Square Rites of InitiationThey have actually improved. And ATRU was really excellent but there were moments of weakness and moments where I just kind of got irritated by ridiculousness. Still they are one of the smartest bands in the genre and on this theyve improved in terms of songwriting. More diverse, more coherent and less focused on Drew exploding, this definitely shows us that Decompositions may as a whole be better than ATRU.City and Colour Bring Me Your LoveCoalesce 0:12 Revolution in Just ListeningCoheed and Cambria The Second Stage Turbine BladeCoheed and Cambria From Fear Through the Eyes of MadnessConverge You Fail MeConverge When Forever Comes CrashingConverge Unloved and Weeded OutCursive DomesticaCynic Carbon-Based AnatomyDangers AngerAnger is a noisy, fun, incredibly pissed off record. For modern hardcore punk its surprisingly varied musically, Dangers throws a few melodic curve balls and interesting transitions/experiments, all of which lots of hardcore bands forget to do. Sometimes the album is downright hysterical, sometimes its so vulgar as well. Despite how fun and fresh it is, it can still be overwhelming and feel just about out of place at times, but when it hits, it hits. Anger is a unique and fun hardcore record that sets itself apart from other modern punk records by doing things just a bit differently.Dark Tranquillity CharacterDark Tranquillity Damage DoneDark Tranquillity The Mind's IDark Tranquillity FictionDeath The Sound of PerseveranceDeath HumanDio The Last in LineDream Theater A Change of SeasonsThis is possibly my favorite Progressive epic of all time, it's simply divine.dredg El CieloEdge of Sanity Crimson IIEdge of Sanity CrimsonEdge of Sanity Purgatory AfterglowEleventh He Reaches London Hollow Be My NameElliott Smith Figure 8Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton John Tumbleweed Connectionwhyyyyyyyyyyyy the fuck is this my favorite Elton John album wtffffffffffffffffffffffffffEluvium CopiaEluvium Lambent MaterialEnvy All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting AheadEric Dolphy Outward BoundEver Forthright Ever ForthrightEverest Ghost NotesExodus Bonded by BloodFates Warning A Pleasant Shade of GrayFeist The ReminderFreddie Hubbard Red ClayFrightened Rabbit Quietly, NowFrightened Rabbit The Winter of Mixed DrinksClearly, one of the best of the year so far, even though this was not as fantastic as their previous release. Though it had some problems with structure and superfluous dragging in spots, the arrangements and use of horns/other instruments were used in a sophisticated and flawless manner, making each song interesting. In a way, this reminded me of the way Sigur Ros songs sort of flow, with buildups that just coast and tickle your ears. Some people will like Rabbit's transformation, some will prefer the old style. Whatever the case may be, though Frightened Rabbit still has to work some small kinks out, it is clear from this release that they are not far from a classic, which they released in 2008. Will they ever top it? Probably not.The main problem is, and the reason that Midnight Organ Flight is superior, is because about half of the songs on the album, though they arrangements are still excellent, never quite go anywhere. Some songs start and finish without a true middle. Even so, the tracks that are without this blemish are fantastic, and enough to distract from the slight inconsistency in song structure and bring this from a really high 3.5 to a solid 4. Tied with Immolation for best of the year so far.Funeral Diner The UnderdarkGenesis FoxtrotGenesis The Lamb Lies Down on BroadwayGenesis Nursery CrymeGentle Giant OctopusGentle Giant Free HandGod Is an Astronaut All Is Violent, All Is Brightreally good album and suicide by star is sickkkkkkkkkkkkkGodspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞Godspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞ [Vinyl]Godspeed You! Black Emperor John Peel SessionsGreen Day NimrodHacksaw to the Throat WastelandsHerbie Hancock ThrustHerbie Hancock Maiden VoyageHey Rosetta! Seedsum so welcome is kinda like one of the best songs of the year by far yeahHorace Silver Song For My FatherHugh Laurie Let Them TalkHugh Laurie makes a blues album- and it's ballsy as fuck. He sounds like a fucking boss on it, the piano playing is stellar, his melodies are huge and the arrangements are really fucking nice. Even someone who listens to this kind of shit routinely can't deny how awesome Laurie sounds on this, he's the star of the show. It's a bit too long, but is easily still one of the smoothest and beautifully put together albums I've heard in a while. Cool album.Immolation Majesty and DecayIn Flames The Jester RaceIn Flames WhoracleInsomnium Since the Day It All Came DownInsomnium Above the Weeping WorldIntronaut PrehistoricismsJazzy, sometimes incredibly melodic, sometimes incredibly dense and dissonant post-metal. The bass work is fucking fantastic, the percussion incredibly impressive, and the album is varied enough to warrant multiple listens. It walks the perfect line between lush melodies and jarring, dark sludgy post-metal and kept my attention for most of the ride. Iron And Wine Our Endless Numbered DaysThe best thing about singer-songwriter Sam Beam is his consistency. Some of his work may lack truly stand-out moments, but at his best, Beam is a genius. Heartfelt and genuine, "Our Endless Numbered Days" features some of Beam's most interesting songs, such as "Naked as We Came" or "Teeth in the Grass". The album trails off a bit towards the conclusion of the record, but thankfully, the final track, "Passing Afternoon", a lyrical slice of brilliance, allows you to walk away from "Days" with a smile on your face. While some of the melodies on here sound too much alike for their own good at times (and are still excellent might I add), Beam's constant dabbling with funk makes up for that slight lack of diversity. Beam is one of the most dependable artists in modern music. Iron And Wine Woman KingOn the "Woman King" EP, Sam Beam shows that he is one of the strongest forces in indie/folk. While sometimes to subtle for it's own good, the arrangements, whether they be combinations of piano and violin, or banjo and guitar, are simply handled beautifully. While Beam is definitely not at his lyrical best on here, he showcases the precision of his angelic vocals throughout every track, and his melodies are more unique and interesting than ever. A quick EP that's great for listening on quiet stormy nights, and while not Beam's best offering, it's something that contains some of his best talent, especially in terms of the vocals and virtuous guitar playing. Highlights include "Woman King", "Evening on the Ground" and "Grey Stables". Definitely a sweet EP.Iron Maiden The Number of the BeastIron Maiden Piece of MindIron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh SonIron Maiden Rock in Rio (DVD)Iron Thrones The Wretched SunJaco Pastorius Jaco PastoriusJaga Jazzist One-Armed BanditJeff Buckley GraceJethro Tull Thick as a BrickJets to Brazil Perfecting LonelinessJohn Coltrane Giant StepsJohn Coltrane Blue TrainJohn Coltrane AscensionJohn Coltrane ImpressionsJohn Martyn Solid AirJudas Priest Sad Wings of DestinyKashiwa Daisuke April. #02Kashiwa Daisuke 88While it's disappointing to see such a diverse and creative musician make something generic, it's still fucking great.Kayo Dot Dowsing Anemone With Copper TongueKidcrash JokesKing Crimson DisciplineKing Crimson Larks' Tongues in AspicKnut TerraformerKnut ChallengerLa Dispute Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair An enormous, ambitious, beautiful, tragic poem. The art and brilliance behind the lyricism and the actual music is mind-blowing. His delivery is ace, the guitar riffs are orgasmic, the lyrics are outstanding, and the way it all comes together is simply perfect. Yeah it's possibly a little over-emotional, but, its in your face fun with clever metaphors and awesome melodies. Intense. Fuck the haters, album slays hearts and shits on their new one which is a snoozefestLa Dispute Untitled Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IILed Zeppelin Physical GraffitiLed Zeppelin How the West Was WonLed Zeppelin Houses of the HolyListener Return to StrugglevilleMahavishnu Orchestra Birds of FireManchester Orchestra Mean Everything to NothingHow can you not love it, it's loud, it knocks you in the face, and it's just freaking stunning at some points. Something for everyone on this modern rock n roll classic.Maps and Atlases Tree, Swallows, HousesMarillion Script for a Jester's TearMarillion Misplaced ChildhoodMastodon Blood MountainMastodon Crack the Skyemaudlin of the Well Leaving Your Body MapMaybeshewill Not For Want Of TryingMegadeth Countdown to ExtinctionMesa Verde The Old RoadMeshuggah Destroy Erase ImproveMetallica Kill 'Em AllMetallica S&MMichael Hedges Aerial BoundariesMiles Davis Kind of BlueMiles Davis Bitches BrewMiles Davis MilestonesMiles Davis Birth of the CoolMiles Davis Cookin' With the Miles Davis QuintetMiles Davis On the CornerNo need for the mixed reviews it receives; even though I know why it gets them. As inaccessible as this is, as weird and fucked up as this is, as blatantly odd as this is, its totally bad ass. Absolutely fun as all hell. Miles Davis PangaeaMiles Davis Big FunMinus the Bear Highly Refined PiratesMinus the Bear Menos El OsoMinus the Bear Into the MirrorMisery Signals Of Malice and the Magnum HeartModern Life Is War WitnessMarshaltown and Deadramones are like the two best hardcore songs everMogwai Young TeamMotion City Soundtrack Commit This to MemoryMotion City Soundtrack Commit This To Memory (Deluxe Edition)Murder by Death In Bocca Al LupoMurder by Death Like the Exorcist, but More BreakdancingOn "Like the Exorcist", MbD do what they fail to do on later efforts; seduce the listener with haunting melodies and subdued vocals. That combination right there is enough to merit a 4, Murder by Death are all over the place on this album musically, mostly in a good way. The two instrumentals are mind blowing, and songs like "You are the Last Dragon" and "I'm Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe" are catchy and seductive. Sometimes a little too muddy with experiments, but overall an excellent debut from one of the best bands in the genre. It's sad that they ditched this style as the years went on, but everything good comes to an end.Neurosis Times of GraceTracks like "Under the Surface", "Belief" and "The Doorway" are truly stunning, while "End of the Harvest" displays a sense of doom that really punches you in the gut. The entire album doesn't exactly keep that quality the whole time, but when it does, it's pretty fucking badass. Not to mention it flows incredibly well. Nevermore This Godless EndeavorNick Drake Five Leaves LeftIt's hard to choose what Nick Drake's opus is. It's always between "Five Leaves Left" and "Pink Moon", but they are both so close, it's hard to pick a favorite. Since I've been listening to Drake, I have gone back and forth between having this at a 5, and "Pink Moon" at a 5. Currently, "Five Leaves Left", is my favorite from Drake, and my favorite folk record of all time. While "Pink Moon" is the more haunting and emotional experience, "Five Leaves Left" features Nick's true genius; the sophistication of arrangements, the smooth and beautiful vocal melodies, the lack of a bad track. Highlights include the dazzling "River Man", the gorgeous "Cello Song", the epic "Three Hours", and the morning ballad "Saturday Sun". This is a perfect album in my eyes, and it features Drake at his most controlled. "Pink Moon" rivals this, but cannot edge this out. Easily my favorite folk album, and easily light years ahead of it?s time.Nick Drake Family TreeObscura CosmogenesisOlafur Arnalds ...And They Have Escaped The Weight Of DarknessOpeth Still LifeOpeth MorningriseAs a guitar player, I couldn't even fathom how Opeth arranged the most brilliant acoustic dual leads and impressive pirate-esque riffs flawlessly on to one album. Yeah, maybe they 'refined' their sound after this and yeah, maybe many Opeth albums are 'better' but I simply think the flow, the harmonies, the way it's integrated, is near perfect. It has a much darker and melodic tone than any other Opeth album. A strange favorite from me.Opeth DamnationOpeth LamentationsOscar Peterson Night TrainFucking awesome jazz pianist. A little overlooked compared to the other guys. Great homework album as well.Panda Bear Person PitchParades Foreign TapesPelican The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon...Persefone Corepg.99 Document #5Pianos Become the Teeth The Lack Long AfterPink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of DawnPink Floyd MeddlePoison the Well You Come Before YouPorcupine Tree Lightbulb SunThis record is so underrated; one of the best efforts from Porcupine Tree, if not the best. (Yeah, I said it.)Porcupine Tree The Sky Moves SidewaysRachel's The Sea and the BellsRadiohead The BendsIt's such a great recordddddddddddddd but its really just a straight up rock album at its core- fully of heavy anthems, slower ballads, and some guitar solos. Definitely 100000x different than what Radiohead is doing now, but still worth the time without question. There are some real classics on here.Radiohead In RainbowsRosetta Wake/LiftRush Moving PicturesRush Permanent WavesSikTh The Trees Are Dead and Dried Out, Wait for Something WildOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. This is why I love mathcore.sleepmakeswaves In Today Already Walks TomorrowSlint SpiderlandSoilwork The Chainheart MachineSoilwork A Predator's PortraitSpock's Beard VSpock's Beard The LightStars Set Yourself On FireStrike Anywhere Exit EnglishSufjan Stevens Seven SwansSufjan Stevens The Avalanche: Outtakes and ExtrasSymphony X Twilight in OlympusSymphony X V: The New Mythology SuiteSystem of a Down HypnotizeTartar Lamb Sixty MetonymiesTestament The New OrderThe Band Music from Big Pinkthis rules so hard m////////////////////////////////////////////The Beatles Abbey RoadObviously this is great and it perfectly demonstrates just how varied The Beatles were, but this simply isn't worth the hype of "Best Beatles album". I prefer Revolver, Rubber Soul and even Sgt. Peppers but I won't deny that this is still a fucking great record.The Beatles Magical Mystery TourMagical Mystery Tour is a fun album, but it sounds like the retarded and less capable brother of Sgt. Peppers. Sometimes, this album is way too cheesy and obnoxious, and other times, brilliant writing is implemented. All in all, a fun and sometimes awesome listen, but so flooded with cheese that it's hard to give it above a 3. It also doesn't help that the songs are a bit longer than they should be. But ah. Fuck it. The album is really fun sometimes, and though its like a three pound burger filled with CHEESE, its still fucking hilarious.The Beatles Hey JudeThe Dear Hunter Act I: The Lake South, the River NorthThe Dear Hunter Act II: The Meaning of, & All Things Regarding Ms. LeadingThe Dear Hunter BlackIts actually really original, and it's really epic at times. It's sounds like nothing they've done before. That said, its still kinda weird.....and there's a couple moments that make me question what Casey was trying to do with this EP.......a nice, quirky way to start off the spectrum, but I gotta say there a few awkward moments that I can't ignore. It's still excellent at most points though, definitely unlike anything the band has ever done. Weird maybe, but one of the more interesting ep's.The Dear Hunter Orangegoooooood shit but its really samey. The Dear Hunter expand on what they did on Red, but instead of that grungy 90's angst, you get flirtation with 70's blues rock. They sound like Led Zeppelin and The Doors only they put their own unique twist on it. I like almost every song on here a lot, it's a really cool experiment and it's more consistent than the EP before it. Love the guitar work on here.....reminds me of Jimmy Page. Good shit, but its too samey to give it a higher rating then a 3.5.The Dear Hunter BlueNot exactly the most vibrant and catchy EP, but one of the most heartfelt and beautiful. Different from the EP's in many ways, it's slow, but it's insanely effective and beautiful. Trapdoor is really fantastic. A different side of The Dear Hunter makes for one of their most interesting. One of the best EP's on the album. Not exactly the catchiest, but if you really sit down and listen you'll understand just how gorgeous it is.The Decemberists PicaresqueThe Decemberists The Hazards of LoveThe Dillinger Escape Plan Calculating InfinityThe Dillinger Escape Plan The Dillinger Escape PlanThe Doors Strange DaysThe Doors The DoorsThe End (CAN) Transfer Trachea Reverberations from Point: False OmniscientThe Evpatoria Report GolevkaThe Faceless AkeldamaTHIS is death-tech. In listening to the genre extensively as of late, I have discovered some so-so bands, some rhorrible bands, and this band. This is undoubtedly one of the best records in the technical metal genre, as it blends rcrushing vocals, highly original and orgasmic dual leads, fantastic sweeps, and of course, little hints of funk and jazz rfusion every so often. Look, there are those who say that these kind of bands 'show off' and can't 'write good songs', rbut the technicality is displayed tastefully, songs flow as a collection of unique riffs and those unpredictable funk rfusion sections and those cool little drum fills. This is a truly phenomenal album, and this band never ceases to rimpress me, though I think that the album that came after this was inferior, as it was a little more boring and a tad rmore monotonous at times, yet still very good, but it doesn't compare to the quality of this record, and how smooth rand colorful it is.The Fall of Boss Koala Reference PointsThe Hold Steady Separation SundayCraig Finn's and The Hold Steady's storytelling opus, and their rock opera. Telling stories of Halleluja Holly, a troubled young (and apparently good looking) teen girl, a pimp named Charlemagne and tackling topics such as religion and drug abuse, Separation Sunday is Craig Finn's most richly metaphorical and deeply complex album, while not without flaws. While the story itself tackles a thousand different topics in smart ways and really details it's characters, the songs themselves aren't always perfectly constructed and the melodies are not always that easy to immerse yourself in. Despite this, "Separation Sunday" is still a great rock n roll styled opera that not only gives us a taste of the immature and drug infested lifestyles of the characters, but provides Finn's smart look at religion and growing older, not to mention some incredibly huge power chords and explosive punk rock feel. "Your Little Hoodrat Friend", "Stevie Nix" and "Banging Camp" are all classic Hold Steady songs, and don't be afraid to drown in rock n roll references and Finn's incredibly detailed scenes and stories.The Mars Volta NoctourniquetIt's just too hit and miss to decide on a rating yet. The atmosphere on this shit is crazy but half the time they ruin anything good they have going with a pointless culmination of blippy's and bloopy's to try to spice things up, and it just flattens the track. Obviously going into a Mars Volta album you know its gonna be overdone, and insanely detailed to the point of musical ridiculousness, and they continued that here, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The definite positive however is that there are a few fucking sweet tracks buried within the record. "Aegis", "Molochwalker" and "Empty Vessels" are perhaps better than anything the band has done since "Frances the Mute", which doesn't say much considering how much fail was packed into the previous three records, but believe me, theres some killer shit on here. I think I've given up on them ever making something fully satisfying all the way through again, because lets face it, when you're this ambitious it's hard to be consistent- but I'm glad they still have some brilliant songs here and there. It could range from a 2.5-4, only time will tell.The Moody Blues Days of Future PassedThe Mountain Goats The Sunset TreeThe Mountain Goats The Coroner's GambitThe National Cherry TreeThe Ocean AeolianThe Saddest Landscape After The LightsThis album is a lot better than all of you think it is. TruthThe Sound of Animals Fighting The Ocean and the SunThe Twilight Sad Forget The Night AheadThe Weakerthans Reconstruction SiteThe Who TommyThe Who Who's NextThe Yardbirds For Your LoveThee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk With John ColtraneThelonious Monk Straight, No ChaserThelonious Monk Monk's DreamThrice The Alchemy Index Vols. I & IIThursday Common ExistenceTortoise Millions Now Living Will Never DieTouche Amore ...To the Beat of a Dead HorseTrap Them Darker HandcraftA fucking intense, brilliantly produced, angry hardcore record that effectively fucks your face into the ground. The major issue here is while they are varied in structuring their songs, some songs really do blend into others. Despite this, if you want your skull to get pounded by energetic and quick hitting grind pick this up its br00tal and not gayTrophy Scars Goodnight AlchemyFrom the good ol' chaotic post hxc proggy emo of trophy scurz this is some of their best shitTrophy Scars Bad LuckMusically this is the best and most coherent Trophy Scars LP. The only problem is Jerry gets a little annoying after a while, and usually I love him unconditionally but he does the intense Tom Waits bluesy deep voice thing too often. He varies it nicely with screams sometimes, and the whole bluesy vibe is something Trophy Scars toyed with in the past and decided to fully embrace on this. It's a colorful, varied listen only bogged down by too much Tom Waits-ish Jerry vocals and a few too many slow sections that pop up and sound too familiar all over the album, making it sound more samey than it actually is. But besides that, its gold, and beautifully put together. Trophy Scars Never Born, Never DeadTTNG AnimalsThis Town Needs Guns is one of the few bands that can effortlessly combine chilled out, relaxing indie pop music and somehow maintain a ridiculously technical appearance through the instrumental complexity of almost every song. "Animals" is satisfying; you can either just sit back and let the vocal melodies carry lift you into the clouds, or you can sit up and pay attention to the intricate composition and lightning fast time changes, the listener can decide which way to enjoy this.Ulver Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitlerUnexpect In a Flesh AquariumThis shit is fucking weirddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddUnited Nations United NationsVan der Graaf Generator GodbluffVolbeat Rock The Rebel/Metal The DevilWe Were Promised Jetpacks These Four WallsWeezer WeezerWeird Al Yankovic Running With ScissorsWes Montgomery The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes MontgomeryWilco Yankee Hotel FoxtrotWilco Summerteeth catchy as hell it ownsWorld's End Girlfriend Hurtbreak WonderlandYasushi Yoshida Little GraceYes RelayerYes Fragile3.5 great65daysofstatic The Fall of MathLet me tell you, "The Fall of Math" is one of the most eclectic and dynamic pieces of music out there- but it's flaws hold it back from being an experimental masterpiece. Sometimes I get lost in the endless juxtaposition of electronica and what-ever-the-fuck post-rock, it seems as if they experiment for the hell of it instead of taking those experiments and doing something with them. I also don't like the use of vocal samples, they do nothing for the most part, Besides these two outstanding flaws, the album is actually perfect. Colorful, inventive, very dynamic, great diversity between soft and loud, bittersweet melodies, and a great background record is what you will find in "The Fall of Math", but it's far from a perfect electronica record. 65daysofstatic One Time for All Time65daysofstatic Heavy SkyAC/DC Highway To HellAerosmith Toys in the AtticAfter the Burial Rareform (Re-release)Agalloch The MantleAgalloch Of Stone, Wind and PillorAgalloch Tomorrow Will Never ComeAgalloch Marrow of the SpiritAl Di Meola Electric RendezvousAlexi Murdoch Time Without ConsequenceAlice in Chains Black Gives Way to BlueAll That Remains The Fall of IdealsAnd So I Watch You From Afar GangsAndrew Bird Break It YourselfMr. Bird delivers just as expected (though with a little too much familiarity); intricate, melodically rich folk rock. It's not quite as consistent or varied as "Eggs" or "Armchair" but it's easily superior to Noble Beast. There's a few really awesome songs spread among a bunch of solid, sometimes boring ones. The album is a tad too long, and overall a tad too underwhelming, but a nice, delicate, chilled out listen with some great arrangements and that signature whistling. There's a few duds here and there but "Lazy Projector" is easily one of his best songs, and one of my favorite songs of the year so far. Though it seems like Bird refuses to progress or shake things up, him dancing around in his comfort zone isn't exactly a bad thing.Andy McKee DreamcatcherAnimal Collective Merriweather Post PavilionAnthrax State of EuphoriaAnthrax Fistful of MetalArcade Fire The SuburbsArchitects NightmaresArcturus The Sham MirrorsArcturus La Masquerade InfernaleArsis United in RegretArsis We Are the NightmareAt the Gates Slaughter of the SoulAtheist Piece of TimeAttack in Black MarriageAugust Burns Red LevelerIf Caleb McAlpine knows he's an idiot, why does he continue to post soundoffs that make no sense? Bat For Lashes Two SunsBayside Sirens & CondolencesBeardfish Sleeping in Traffic: Part TwoBeirut Gulag OrkestarBetween the Buried and Me AlaskaBetween the Buried and Me Alaska (Instrumental)Between the Buried and Me The Great MisdirectBetween the Buried and Me Best OfBison Dark AgesThese guys are mad chill, and fortunately they improved upon on their average/solid debut to craft an entertaining piece of sludge metal. Its a pretty fun album, get it if you are in the mood for a quick, catchy, muddy listen.Black Sabbath Mob RulesBlue Oyster Cult Fire of Unknown OriginBon Iver Blood BankBorn of Osiris The DiscoveryBorn of Osiris was never a great band.....they sucked for a while, and they were just ok, nothing special. A few catchy deathcore songs here and there. How they went from being a little old junzy band to this, is beyond me. Blown away. Most surprising album of the yearBotch American NervosoBright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's MorningBroken Social Scene Broken Social SceneBruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A.Bruce Springsteen Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.Built to Spill Perfect from Now OnCamel CamelCannonball Adderley Somethin' ElseCave In AntennaCave In Beyond HypothermiaHmmmmmmmmm...............................underrated much? I sure think so. Between a 3.5 and a 4, some moments are outstanding. Charles Mingus Let My Children Hear MusicChimaira The Impossibility of ReasonCircle Takes the Square Circle Takes the SquareCircle Takes the Square As the Roots Undorecurring melodic themesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssrnah but come on this thing goes too far.rsometimes.Coalesce OXCorelia NostalgiaCorelia shows a great deal of promise on this EP with excellent guitar work, musical diversity and consistently impressive instrumental composition. However, they make a good deal of mistakes and missteps as well. Sometimes the clean vocal melodies drag on for way too long, sometimes too many things overlap and cause melodies and experiments too fall flat, a technique which some of Corelia's have mastered, but techniques that Corelia themselves have not. Its a very impressive and refreshing EP, but they are in no way perfect on here and fall victim too a few poor songwriting choices. The wank on here definitely pleases me, as a good wankfest always does, but some of the other choices Corelia made on here disappointed me. What needs to be tweaked and diversified are the clean vocal melodies, and some of the melodies and parts instrumentally need to allow single parts to be heard more often. While overall songwriting needs to be improved, Corelia have definitely shown us their talent and skills with this EP. Counterparts ProphetsCursive The Ugly OrganCynic Re-TracedDamien Rice ODanzig DanzigDark Tranquillity Skydancer/Of Chaos And Eternal NightDark Tranquillity SkydancerDeadguy Fixation on a CoworkerDeath Individual Thought PatternsDeath Cab for Cutie The Photo AlbumDeath Cab for Cutie PlansDeep Purple Machine HeadDeep Purple BurnDeerhunter MicrocastleDefeater Empty Days and Sleepless NightsDeftones White PonyDio Holy DiverDirty Three Ocean Songs"Ocean Songs" is definitely a unique sounding post-rock record from a unique post-rock band, Dirty Three. Only three members play on the album, and only three instruments are present; a guitar, a violin, and drums. I love the feel on this record, it's like a combination of 'pirate music', celtic folk, classical, medieval (if that is somehow a genre) and much more. The album's biggest downfall is it's slow beginning, and while most post-rock albums do have a slower beginning than most other albums from other genres, the problem here is that the arrangements themselves are ridiculously samey (and eventually they get kind of dull up until the highlight track) which can definitely be a drag. Despite this, there is no denying the fact that the album does have it's standout moments, and even a few standout tracks, sometimes the climaxes are completely chilling. The only problem is that Dirty Three sounds the same when they are ascending to those climaxes, but again, despite the samey tone of the 'rises and falls', the album is arranged beautifully, and for that, it gets a low 4. Dirty Three is definitely an interesting band, but one would wonder how a sound that's so eclectic at it's core could sound so samey at times. Definitely great relaxing music though, something that I can see myself wanting to listen to again at a later time.Dirty Three Dirty ThreeDo Make Say Think Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret HymnDream Theater Train of ThoughtDream Theater Images and Wordslolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll cheesedredg Catch Without ArmsElliott Smith Either/OrElliott Smith From a Basement on the HillElliott Smith Live at LargoElton John Honky ChateauEmerson Lake and Palmer Emerson, Lake & PalmerEnsiferum IronExplosions in the Sky The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead PlaceVery good but overrrrrrrrrrrrrrratttttttttttteeeeedddddFair to Midland Arrows and AnchorsFang Island Fang IslandEvery band in the math-rock/experimental rock genre usually brings something new to the table, but Fang Island has gone beyond that norm. If I was reviewing the album, I've give it a 4, it's proper rating, but as I am a sucker for sick guitar harmonies, a 4.5 is what it should be. But then again, it's not on the same level as some of my 4.5's, so I'm going to give it a 'super' 4. I've listened to Tera Melos, Maps and Atlases and Portugal the Man, and I can safely say that this may be my favorite straight up math rock album that I've heard so far. Fang Island blends fantastic dual guitar harmonies, lighting fast but not to showy tapping sections, choir like vocals that fit so badly that they fit perfectly, and ultimately have released a record that is void of a bad track. To be honest, I feel like a terrible critic, I've been handing out 4's to many albums I've heard from 2010, so I feel like I'm being to easy (though I have given out some 2.5's so far), but I'm sorry, I cannot deny the brilliance and originality of this record. A gem that will no doubt be overlooked. Though it shouldn't. Check it out.Fates Warning No ExitFates Warning Awaken the GuardianFates Warning ParallelsFear Factory MechanizeFleet Foxes Helplessness BluesFucked Up Year of the OxGenesis TrespassGenesis A Trick of the TailGhostlimb GhostlimbGiraffes? Giraffes! More Skin With Milk-MouthGlass Bones SeasonsGorguts ObscuraGospel The Moon Is a Dead WorldThis is really good and colorful screamo, but a little too jammy for screamo at some points and still a little overrated.Green Day InsomniacGreen Day American IdiotGreen Day KerplunkGrizzly Bear Yellow HouseGrizzly Bear VeckatimestGwynbleidd NostalgiaHarmonium Les Cinq SaisonsIf These Trees Could Talk If These Trees Could TalkInterpol Turn on the Bright LightsIntronaut Valley of SmokeIntronaut trades a small portion of their more atmospherically dense post-metal for even further prog and jazz development, and the result is a step forward and a small step back. I actually prefer "Prehistoricisms" a little bit because it's definitely more consistent and crushing. This one however, has some absolutely brilliant fucking moments, possibly better than any even single idea on "Prehistoricisms". The first couple minutes of "Core Relations" is beyond breathtaking, but unfortunately after that the song kinda develops into the same clean and over produced vocal melodies that plague the rest of the album. Those melodies and vocals kind of drag down how great some of these songs are. Obviously this is still a great album, but it could have easily been neck and neck with "Prehistoricisms" if not for some of the musical choices, such as those clean melodies. "Core Relations", "Sunderance" and "Above" are all brilliant, but unfortunately the rest blend together. Still a nice one, but a little less memorable than their former record.Iron And Wine The Creek Drank the CradleThe first full length effort from Beam is called "The Creek Drank the Cradle", and oh, is it soothing. Jis most barren and lo-fi recording, "Cradle" is an old time sounding, nighttime folk record with some very pleasing tunes sprinkled throughout. While not Beam's opus, his lyrics are at their best on here; songs about love never sounded so original. My one giant complaint is that certain songs drag on for too long, and also that Beam's is not melodically great on here. While it's clear that Beam improved after this album, this is a rare gem that should simply be appreciated for its lyrical content, for its one of the best of its class. If it was less draggy and had some of Beam's ace melodic work (for example, the vocal work on his 2nd LP) it could be his best.Iron And Wine The Shepherd's DogIron Maiden Dance of DeathIron Maiden Brave New WorldIron Maiden Flight 666 (DVD)ISIS OceanicISIS PanopticonISIS Wavering RadiantJethro Tull A Passion PlayJethro Tull War ChildJohn Coltrane Lush LifeJohn Coltrane Interstellar SpaceJohn Coltrane Olé ColtraneJohn Martyn Grace and DangerJordan Rudess Notes on a DreamJose Gonzalez VeneerJoy Wants Eternity You Who Pretend to SleepJudas Priest Screaming for VengeanceKarnivool Sound AwakeKashiwa Daisuke April.#07Kayo Dot Gamma KnifeKidcrash SnacksKillswitch Engage The End of HeartacheKing Crimson The Power to BelieveKing Crimson Starless and Bible BlackKing Crimson Three of a Perfect PairKing Crimson THRAKKraftwerk Trans-Europe ExpressLa Dispute VancouverLa Dispute Here, Hear. IILa Quiete La fine non è la fineLamb of God Ashes of the WakeLed Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IIILights Out Asia Eyes Like BrontideLights Out Asia Tanks And RecognizersThis is one of the most warm and beautiful records I've ever heard. Phenomenal production, diversity in it's digitally altered instrumentals and a charm like no other make this great, but it simply has too many plunders to be a truly excellent offering. This album fails to incorporate any type of diversity in it's emotional tone; everything always sounds so tranquil and spacey, and every song gives off the same atmosphere, and in this case, that makes this album, specifically it's midsection, boring. Despite being beautifully arranged and well thought out, and despite a few highlights, the album is just a boring or sometimes 'meh' ambient album that just happens to be gorgeously arranged, I just wish more would have been done with the undertones and d on the album. I wish the album would have been more layered and diverse, like the closing track or the key track "Four Square". It simply gives the same vibe off for it's entire running time, and even it's fantastic composition can not fully make up for the boredom, especially the boring midsection. While an album that is full of beautiful ambiance, Tanks and Recognizers fails to encompass climaxes and crescendos, and instead plays it safe and focuses solely on it's one emotional undertone, and this is something that holds it back from being the masterpiece it could have been, but it's still not a 'bad' record at all.Manchester Orchestra I'm Like a Virgin Losing a ChildManchester Orchestra Simple MathMargot and the Nuclear So and So's The Dust of RetreatMargot and the Nuclear So and So's The Daytrotter Sessions EPMarillion FugaziMastodon Remissionmaudlin of the Well My Fruit Psychobells... A Seed CombustibleMegadeth YouthanasiaMegadeth Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?Meshuggah NothingMeshuggah obZenMetallica No Life 'til LeatherMetallica Metal Up Your AssmewithoutYou I Never Said That I Was BravemewithoutYou It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright!mewithoutYou are one of the most interesting and capable bands in modern indie, and this record proves that. It's beautifully orchestrated, catchy as hell, interesting and definitely a diverse and varied listen. While a great record, it is not without fault. It's a great sing-a-long, but sometimes the lyrical content, despite always rhyming perfectly, can get a little obnoxious. Some of the melodies can be a bit obnoxious too, in fact, this album just barely gets the 4, as it can become annoying at times. However, considering it's diversity and gorgeous arrangements, a 4 seems the perfect rating, but then again, it seems less serious and moving than their previous efforts, so, despite the structure, it gets a 3.5...Miles Davis Relaxin' With the Miles Davis QuintetMiles Davis NefertitiMiles Davis Star PeopleMiles Davis DigMiles Davis Porgy and BessDespite being beautifully arranged and instrumentally diverse, Porgy and Bess just seems like less grandiose, less spanish-esque, less exciting version of Sketches of Spain. It's gorgeous arrangements don't always save it however; the album can get pretty monotnous and boring, sometimes outrageously dull. Porgy and Bess seems like the down syndrome brother of Sketches of Spain, but it's not all bad. Songs like "Prayer" and "Gone" are riveting, and the album is solid enough (again, despite sometimes sinking into boringville) to earn a low 3.5.Miles Davis E.S.PMinus the Bear Bands Like It When You Yell YAR at ThemMinus the Bear They Make Beer Commercials Like ThisMisery Signals Misery SignalsModern Life Is War My Love. My Way.Mogwai Come On Die YoungMogwai Rock ActionMogwai Mr. BeastMono Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun ShinedMono You Are ThereMooncake Lagrange PointsMotion City Soundtrack I Am the MovieMotion City Soundtrack My Dinosaur LifeA truly interesting record and progression for a solid powerpop band. To be honest, I HATE pop punk and all of that garbage, but this is a tad different. the integration of acoustic guitars and unique guitar leads, along with some great synth work puts this in a different universe than the usually awful pop punk genre. This band has been hit and miss over their career, "I am the Movie" was just a little above average for pop punk, "Commit this" was a great an interesting one, "Even if it Kills Me" was a step backwards, and this, is their best and most diverse so far. Sure, the cliche rhythms of pop punk are there, and sure, so are the song formulas, but the structures are just varied and tweaked enough to be something different in the genre. Musically, it's the most diverse powerpop album ever made, and I really enjoyed it. No it's not phenomenal, excellent or even really great, but it's the best that a weak genre has to offer. Did I mention the sexy vocal melodies?Muse AbsolutionMuse Origin of SymmetryMutiny Within Mutiny WithinImagine that Killswitch Engage and Symphony X got married, and then throw in a unique child. This album combines all the fury and rage of metalcore with the catchy elements and blazing fast guitar solos of power metal. I am not one to praise power metal, (I actually despise most of the genre), but this band seems to integrate the power element well into their sound. The use of keyboards are pretty interesting in this album, as they create a highly unique atmosphere, and the clean piano is pretty epic too. For the most part, you won't hear the same synth effects played too many times, so there is some great variation on this record. Ultimately, if I was reviewing this record I'd give it a 3.5, and point out that the song structures are highly cliche, maybe that it can get a tad repetitive, maybe even a little cliche. However, the badass riffs/solos and overall sound/production is usually enough to distract one from this flaw. If Mutiny Within could eliminate the use of the high pitched 'epic choruses' at points, this could be a true 4. It's truly a very surprising and unique record when all is said and done, and definitely one of the best of the year, and as a guitar player, I can safely say that that the solo work is pretty fantastic, enough to make this a 4 for me. I really shouldn't like this record as much as I do.Neil Young HarvestI find myself between a 3.5 and a 4; there are some fantastic tunes on here, but some terrible ones as well. At first, I liked the heavily orchestrated tracks, but then I realized- it just doesn't 'go' with Neil's style. It's also not his best lyrical offering, and is definitely inconsistent at some points, but there are a few PHENOMENAL tracks on here. For now, a solid 3.5, and a very good folk record, but he has many better works than this. Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is NowhereNeurosis and Jarboe Neurosis and JarboeNevermore Dreaming Neon BlackNevermore Dead Heart In A Dead WorldNick Drake Way to Blue: An Introduction to Nick DrakeOceansize Everyone Into PositionStuck between a 3.5 and a 4 for this one. Sometimes it becomes a drag and a song does nothing, but more often than that the tracks really come to life and provide an easy listen. Oh, Sleeper Children of FireThe metal sections on this can be fucking outstanding at times, but there's still too many cliches too give this a higher rating. The cleans can be pretty gay too, but at least their a bit more tasteful then they usually are in this style of metalcore. It's mostly hit and miss, but when it hits, its really really enjoyable. It's nothing new though. But still worth your time.Olafur Arnalds Eulogy for EvolutionOlafur Arnalds Living Room SongsOpeth OrchidOpeth WatershedPain of Salvation ScarsickPeriphery PeripheryMathcore, all that technical stuff, has been growing on me lately. Whether it's old Meshuggah, Cynic, Dillinger Escape Plan or Converge, I just have been loving it. But this has done it. The album deserves a 4, but a 4.5 is the personal rating, I'm a guitar player so... this is just crazy. The technicality and odd time signatures are never awkward surprisingly, which is a problem that many math bands have. It simply flows fantastically. The melody and altered clean vocals on this record are original and refreshing, especially for the genre. This blew me away. The main downside is that without the original and diverse vocal work, the music itself has been done before, but only so many have topped this is the genre-no joke. One of my favorites from the year. If only it was a little shorter, take out the poor tracks, and you have a math masterpiece.Pink Floyd A Saucerful of SecretsPlain White T's Hey There DelilahPorcupine Tree Stupid DreamPorcupine Tree DeadwingPortugal. The Man Censored ColorsPrayer for Cleansing Rain In Endless FallRadiohead Kid ASome of this is wonderful.....beautiful. The lyrics are brilliant as well, and the production is godly. However, for me, right now, its very inconsistent. The first three tracks annoy me more than impress me and I feel like some songs are just missing- something. I feel like some songs lack a direction and fall flat but others are absolutely amazing. The best material on here is outstanding. Riverside Out of MyselfRush A Farewell to KingsRush SignalsSanctuary Into the Mirror BlackSaxon Shore The Exquisite Death of Saxon ShoreSay Anything Menorah/MajoraSay Anything Say AnythingThis album has its few vomit worthy, sappy moments, but most of the time it actually offers some insanely catchy, intelligent pop punk. Though it's lyrically not Max's best work, its still very clever when its not being obnoxious and its definitely better than the awkward, insanely bloated and over-ambitious previous record. and miles better than the new record. Scale the Summit MonumentScale the Summit Carving Desert CanyonsShadow Gallery Digital GhostsShadows Fall The War WithinSigur Ros ( )Skycamefalling 10.21Slayer Seasons in the AbyssSlayer South of HeavenSoilwork Natural Born ChaosSpastic Ink Ink CompleteSpiralmountain SpiralmountainSpock's Beard SnowSt. Vincent Strange MercyI really don't care for a lot of this type of poppy stuff, and I also wasn't too huge on Actor, I thought it was 'ok'. This however is a huge step up for Annie Clark. It keeps all the great things about Actor like the charm and the fun melodies but makes the actual music a lot more varied and interesting. It gets a little stranger and a tad darker than where her work went before, and the result is an incredibly fun artsy pop album with plenty of great compositions and melodies. Only huge problem is when its not incredibly fun its incredibly boring. Inconsistency with these tracks is kinda killing me, I love some of them but just wanna turn some of them off. Oh but her lyrics on here are truly awesome. This style still won't ever be my favorite, but Clark has finally made something I enjoy, most of the time. I won't go back to this in full often, simply because a lot of it just doesn't appeal to me completely, but the best stuff on here is incredibly catchy and bright. Just wish it had more than just 3 or 4 tracks of that.Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto Getz/GilbertoSufjan Stevens MichiganSufjan Stevens The BQESuis La Lune HeirSymphony X The OdysseySymphony X Paradise LostTalk Talk Laughing StockTalk Talk Spirit of EdenTartar Lamb Polyimage of Known Exitswowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww this is fucking cool. but like the previous tartar lamb, it just has pointless sections that don't add to the atmosphere.TesseracT OneThe Allman Brothers Band Idlewild SouthThe Animals AnimalismThe Arusha Accord The Echo VersesThe Beatles A Hard Day's NightThe most underrated of The Beatles strictly pop albums; underrated compared to Help! and Beatles for Sale. Not a phenomenal record in any way, but charming and definitely the best from the pre- Rubber Soul era.The Beatles Let It BeThe Beatles Help!The Black Dahlia Murder MiasmaThe Black Dahlia Murder NocturnalThe Contortionist ExoplanetThe Dear Hunter Act III: Life and DeathThe Dear Hunter IndigoAbsolutely stunning, a contrast piece to "Black". Black was one of my favorites for its electronic/studio wizardry, and this EP is a lighter, less evil version of that EP. Really atmospheric and beautiful, however the one thing I'm still missing is more rock dynamics to compliment the brilliant electronica vibe on here. Still, possibly the most lush and pretty of the eps, but Im not sure The Dear Hunter should be playing this style.The Decemberists Her Majesty the DecemberistsThe Decemberists The King Is DeadThe Dillinger Escape Plan Under the Running BoardThe Dillinger Escape Plan Irony Is a Dead SceneThe Doors Morrison HotelThe End (CAN) ElementaryThe Faceless Planetary DualityLaughable at times. It gets so intensely technical that riffing and tempo changes run into each other, making me laugh. However. This is still a great death/tech album with fantastic musicianship and little hints of funk and jazz that make me smile. I also love the vocals. The problem is that it's simply too 'crazy' at times, but the highlight tracks such as "Xenochrist" or "The Ancient Covenant" are smooth and are easy to swallow, and with tracks such as those, I can enjoy the technicality and riffing. Unfortunately, this step from Akeldama is a bad one; Akeldama was less intense but definitely more cohesive, and definitely easier to listen to, in fact, Akeldama is one of my favorite albums of all time. Funny thing is, the one thing this album has over "Akeldama" is the fact that, in it's absolute best moments, it beats any part of Akeldama. Anyway, this is still a great listen with some fantastic musicianship, but the ridiculous technicality is something that can annoy me.The Flower Kings The RainmakerThe Human Abstract NocturneThe Human Abstract Digital VeilOMFGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG really great stuff if u like dem junzThe Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric LadylandThe Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold as LoveThe Mars Volta TremulantThis EP sounds like the baby version of De-Loused. The same type and style, but less melodically developed and a little bit less coherent. "Concertina" definitely rules, and the rest isn't too shabby either. It's lucky it's the perfect length for what it is, any longer and I would have gotten truly annoyed but the underdeveloped vocal parts and production. It's short, not too drenched in bullshit, and kinda catchy, but not quite on the level of sophistication and perfection that would be Volta's two next releases. The Mountain Goats TallahasseeThe Mountain Goats All Eternals DeckThe National Sad Songs for Dirty LoversThe National The Virginia EPThe Number Twelve Looks Like You MongrelThe Ocean AnthropocentricThe Red Chord ClientsThe Red Chord Prey for EyesThe Tallest Man on Earth Shallow GraveThe Who The Who Sell OutThe Who The Who by NumbersThe Zombies Begin HereThee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra Horses in the SkyThelonious Monk Criss-CrossThis Will Destroy You Young MountainAnother great offering from the 'chill' post-rock subgenre. Not a phenomenal offering really, but something nice to have on in the background. Unfortunately, these generic post-rock bands don't seem to break the 4/5 barrier for me, and while this is no exception, it's still a nice listen despite being kinda draggy at points.Thrice The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IVThursday War All the TimeThursday Full CollapseTortoise TNTTouche Amore Touche AmoreTouche Amore Parting The Sea Between Brightness And MeEven better than "To the Beat". Touche Amore is so fucking amazing at what they do. Its hard to imagine a band that writes 1 minute long songs is so engaging, but they are the most engaging hardcore band I've ever heard. Lyrically, this fucking album is an incredibly poetic punch to the jaw, having lines that I've only heard once that I remember fully and vividly. I've only listened once but I'm already comfortable with this rating, its a fucking awesome album.Trap Them Seizures In Barren PraiseTrophy Scars Alphabet AlphabetsTrophy Scars Darts to the SeaIts a little messy, but its got some awesome jems. It's slightly less consistent than the band is on later releases, but it holds some of their best songs, such as "Baby Eskimo Kisses" and "Rachel I think He's Dead". The lyrics are retarded fun, and the album is incredibly original for a debut, though lacking in consistent awesomeness that the band brought together in future releases.Unearth The Oncoming StormUnearth III: In the Eyes of FireVan der Graaf Generator Pawn HeartsWeezer The Green AlbumWilliam Fitzsimmons Until When We Are GhostsWonderland Falling Yesterday Enchanted Landscape EscapeWorld's End Girlfriend Dream's End Come TrueWorld's End Girlfriend Seven IdiotsYes Tales from Topographic OceansYes 90125yodaka yodakaYou Slut! Critical Meat3.0 goodAfter the Burial RareformAlice in Chains FaceliftAll That Remains This Darkened HeartAnberlin CitiesAnd So I Watch You From Afar And So I Watch You From AfarAndrew Bird Weather SystemsAndrew Bird Noble BeastAndy McKee The Gates of GnomeriaAnimal Collective Strawberry JamAnimals As Leaders WeightlessDespite the ridiculous amount of talent Tosin has in those hands, this album is pretty lame for the most part. Technically astounding at times? Sure. Very boring and uninspired? Yeah.Arcade Fire The Arcade FireArcade Fire Neon BibleIt's not like it's bad........but boy, does "Funeral" beat the shit out of this. While still being fantastically produced and coherent from start to finish, this album sometimes lacks the energy and infectiousness "Funeral", and some songs seem to just be there to present an idea that doesn't need to be presented. It's not awful or anything, and hey, it does have some great songs on it, but it's a borefest compared to "Funeral", and in my opinion, the lack of lushness and color makes this a step backwards for Arcade Fire. It's also good to mention that Butler's lyrics here aren't as strong as they were on "Funeral"; harder to relate to and a little cheesy as well. I will say as a HUGE positive that the instrumentation and melodies are sometimes incredible on this, but overall Butler doesn't deliver like a front man should, and it's simply not as captivating an album as it should have been.....floating between a 3 and a 3.5Architects RuinArnold Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4As I Lay Dying The Powerless RiseWith As I Lay Dying's new album, which is their best album, they clearly show that they will never be a great metal band. Simply put. The three albums prior to this all ranged from horrendous-average, and with this, they finally manage to put out something DECENT, but unfortunately, it doesn't even get a solid 3, more like a 2.5-3. They display some of the most interesting riffs and original harmonies they've ever done, but are still very generic, the songs are inconsistent throughout the whole record (some good, some awful), and Tim Lambesis is still pretty lame. But what's good is that they sound more polished, they have some great riffs and instrumental work on here, and they finally put out something that doesn't 'suck' but this is still not a 'really good' album in any way. As I Lay Dying will never be a great band. Oh and the cleans are beyond cliche, why the fuck is every band doing this now?At the Drive-In Acrobatic TenementAtheist ElementsAugust Burns Red Thrill SeekerAugust Burns Red HomeBaroness Blue RecordBathory Blood Fire DeathBayside ShudderBetween the Buried and Me Between the Buried and MeBigelf Cheat The GallowsA sometimes fun little prog album that combines the thick heavy metal feel of early Black Sabbath with the quirkiness of YES and early Pink Floyd, and unfortunately it succeeds more on channeling it's predecessors than it does as an 'original' piece of music.Bill Evans ExplorationsBlack Sabbath Vol. 4blink-182 Dude Ranchblink-182 Enema Of The StateBoris PinkBrand New DaisyBroken Bells Broken BellsBroken Social Scene You Forgot It in PeopleBruce Springsteen The RisingCaspian You Are The ConductorCaspian TertiaCharles Mingus Blues & RootsCharles Mingus Tijuana MoodsCircle of Contempt Artifacts in MotionCity and Colour SometimesCloudkicker BeaconsNot getting the hype at all. On my second listen through of Beacons I am still as bored and annoyed by the production and volume contrast as I was the first time. Some of the stuff on here is actually really good most of the time, but some of the bigger melodies and leads are covered up criminally by the incredibly repetitive/bland rhythms. In the end the result is an okay, kinda boring album with a lot of potential that wasn't brought to the surface the right way. It's not a bad album though, its still got some nice moments here and there, and it flows incredibly well. The problem is that its very unmemorable, kinda boring too often for my liking, and some of the best parts are muddled by production choices and an incredibly tiring rhythm and background section. An okay instrumental album that could have been much better. Incredibly overrated.Coheed and Cambria No World for TomorrowConverge No HeroesCounterparts The Current Will Carry UsCrystal Castles Crystal Castles IICult of Luna SalvationDaitro Laisser Vivre Les SquelettesDamien Rice 9Death Cab for Cutie We Have the Facts and We're Voting YesDeath Cab for Cutie Something About AirplanesDeath Cab for Cutie Narrow StairsDefeater Dear FatherDepartures When Losing Everything Is Everything You WantedDisturbed BelieveDream Theater Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memorya 4.4 for an album with a few excellent songs and a bunch of insanely cheesy, gay shit lol come onDream Theater Black Clouds and Silver LiningsEarth Earth 2: Special Low Frequency VersionElitist CavesEluvium Talk Amongst the TreesEmerson Lake and Palmer Brain Salad SurgeryEmerson Lake and Palmer TrilogyEmerson Lake and Palmer TarkusEminem EncoreEric Dolphy Out ThereEric Dolphy Iron ManEvery Time I Die Ex Livesso the riffs are really killer, theres not much filler and the middle of the album rules and rbtw the whole southern rock/metalcore thing isnt really that cool guys and i would rate this rhigher if it wasnt so goddamn motherfucking samey cause legit the riffs rule hard and also the beginning was a drag and did nothing not even riffs galore can save it sorry fags 5/5Explosions in the Sky The RescueExplosions in the Sky All of a Sudden, I Miss EveryoneFates Warning The Spectre WithinFates Warning FWXFeist MetalsFleet Foxes Fleet FoxesFrightened Rabbit Sing The GreysFrightened Rabbit A Frightened Rabbit EPGentle Giant The Power and the GloryGod Is an Astronaut God Is an AstronautGodspeed You! Black Emperor Yanqui U.X.O.Green Day WarningHammock Raising Your Voice... Trying to Stop an EchoIf These Trees Could Talk Above the Earth, Below the SkyIn Flames ColonyIndian Summer Hidden ArithmeticIron And Wine The Sea and the Rhythm EPIron Maiden KillersIron Maiden Fear of the DarkIron Maiden A Matter of Life and DeathIselia Life From Dead LimbsISIS In the Absence of TruthJapandroids Post-NothingJethro Tull Minstrel in the GalleryJimmy Eat World Bleed AmericanJoanna Newsom The Milk-Eyed MenderJohn Coltrane Coltrane (1962, Impulse)Jose Gonzalez In Our NatureKatatonia Viva EmptinessKatatonia Night Is the New DayKilling The Dream Fracturescool hardcore. lyrics are hit and miss though....some lines are punishing and some are kinda cliche. Definitely a nice quick listen but little replay valueKillswitch Engage Alive or Just BreathingKillswitch Engage As Daylight DiesKing Crimson BeatKnut BastardiserKraftwerk The Man-MachineLa Dispute WildlifeLamb of God As the Palaces BurnLamb of God SacramentLamb of God Walk with Me in HellLed Zeppelin In Through the Out DoorLed Zeppelin The Song Remains the SameLed Zeppelin BBC SessionsLights Out Asia GarmoniaMeshuggah IMeshuggah Contradictions CollapseMetallica MetallicaMetallica Death MagneticMiles Davis Workin' With Miles Davis and the QuintetMiles Davis Someday My Prince Will ComeMiles Davis Miles AheadMinus the Bear This is What I Know About Being GiganticMinus the Bear AcousticsMinus the Bear OmniMogwai Happy Songs for Happy PeopleMogwai The Hawk Is HowlingMono Hymn to the Immortal WindMumford and Sons Sigh No MoreA very solid debut from a pretty cool band is exactly what this is. There are however many things that are bringing this down from being amazing or fantastic or even truly great. First and foremost, while I like the lead singers accent in the band, I do not think he has a great or even decent voice, sometimes it just sounds scratchy and plain awkward. Also, the arrangements are interesting at times because of the banjo, but even with that, sometimes the banjo and especially the piano are just 'there', and do not really accomplish anything, even in the terms of creating an atmosphere. The album is definitely fun though, and great to sing along too, but overall, it's just a solid debut from an interesting band. If they work the kinks out, get each instrument to have it's own identity instead of just being there to be there, and the singer begins mastering tones, this band could have a real awesome record in the future. Decent job boys.Murder by Death Red Of Tooth And ClawMurder by Death Good Morning, MagpieMuse Black Holes & RevelationsNeil Young Neil YoungNeon Trees HabitsNeurosis SovereignNevermore The Politics of EcstasyNick Drake Bryter LayterOff Minor Some BloodOpeth DeliveranceOpeth HeritageOrchid OrchidPain of Salvation BeParkway Drive HorizonsPelican AustralasiaPelican City of EchoesPelican EphemeralPianos Become the Teeth Old PrideThis is actually really good, very memorable, but their lead singer is a pussy.....in a bad wayPink Floyd Atom Heart MotherPoison the Well VersionsPorcupine Tree In AbsentiaPorcupine Tree SignifyProtest the Hero Gallop Meets the EarthRadiohead AmnesiacFor me, Radiohead's "Amnesiac" suffers from the same problems that their previous album does. The highlights are here, the outstanding moments are here, the dedication to creating an engrossing atmosphere are here (kinda) but ultimately, the best word to describe Amnesiac is 'boring'. "Kid A", arguably Radiohead's most overrated album, had its fair share of musical blunders and directionless boredom, but made up for it with creepy lyrics and phenomenal songs such as "Idioteque", "How to Disappear Completely", "Everything in it's Right Place" and "Motion Picture Soundtrack". Unfortunately, while Amnesiac isn't the piece of shit it could have been, it doesn't have enough great songs to pull it up from being the lush boredom that it somehow stands as. "Amnesiac" is slightly less haunting, slightly less successful, yet equally lush and varied to it's counterpart "Kid A". Standouts include "Life in a Glass House" and the brilliant "Knives Out", but the rest, is just kinda, there. It's good napping music, but when looked at in any other way, I don't enjoy it nearly as much as others seem too.Raein Il n'y a pas de orchestreRay LaMontagne Gossip In The GrainRed Seas Fire Red Seas FireHoly shit this band is actually really fucking cool, they write better riffs than most modern djent bands but also fall victim too a lot of the cliche mistakes that many of those bands do, which really holds them back. Some of the riffs are fucking great though.Rise Against Revolutions per MinuteRishloo FeathergunRiverside Second Life SyndromeRush 2112Rush Fly by NightRussian Circles EmprosSay Anything In Defense of the GenreShadows Fall The Art of BalanceSigur Ros Med Sud i Eyrum vid Spilum EndalaustSlayer Reign in BloodSlint TweezSnowing Fuck Your Emotional Bullshitfuck that bullshittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttSoilwork Steelbath SuicideSoilwork Stabbing the DramaSoilwork Figure Number FiveSoilwork Sworn to a Great DivideSoilwork The Panic BroadcastWhile Soilwork has only had one or two albums through their existence that deserve more than a 4, the best part about them is that even when they shifted from the legendary Gothenberg sound to the more alt/metal sound, they still didn't suck nearly as bad as the other sell outs. While it's pretty clear that they will never make another melodic death metal near masterpiece like "The Chainheart Machine" or "A Predator's Portrait", this new album is the best they've released in a while. The guitar work is superb; the solos are fast and colorful, probably the best they've ever done. The riffs can get pretty intense as well. While a lot of the album can get too commercial/samey in the choruses and structure, the guitar work is the highlight, and can sometimes make me completely forget the boring song formulas. Speed, the vocalist, got a little too soft on here, but again, this album was definitely interesting overall, and was better than some of their other previous material. While they may never truly be 'back', they've finally started kicking a little ass again.Spoon Kill the MoonlightSt. Vincent ActorSuffocation Pierced from WithinSufjan Stevens A Sun CameSunn O))) ØØ VoidSystem of a Down Steal This Album!System of a Down MezmerizeThe American Dollar A Memory StreamThe American Dollar Ambient OneThe Beatles The BeatlesThe Beatles Beatles for SaleThe Black Dahlia Murder UnhallowedThe Black Dahlia Murder DeflorateThe Black Dahlia Murder RitualBesides two or three stellar tracks, its just another Black Dahlia album. Not really bad, and full of some epic solos (which is an area they've improved in this time around), but its not masterpiece or even truly excellent album. Just a nice listen thats occasionally awesome and occasionally boring and repetitive. These guys have been doing everything the same way since their first album. Their no awesome band, but their still pretty good in my eyes despite lacking diversity in songwriting. Guilty pleasure for me if nothing else. I like them a lot, especially a few certain songs, but I acknowledge their many faults and lack of diversity in many areas. Get the album if you like the genre, or if you want to find 2 or 3 great tracks to take away. Prolly a low 3.5.The Black Keys El CaminoThe Bled Heat FetishThe Clash Sandinista!The Dear Hunter RedThe Dear Hunter's play on classic rock/grunge, with help from that dude Andy from Manchester Orchestra (hes great btw). It's a cool EP, definitely took me by surprise but it's kind of hit and miss. Very samey too. Deny it All is awesome though. The band tries to tackle so many different genres on this collection, and even though it worked well on this EP it's still not the best The Color Spectrum has to offer. Listen just to hear the epicness that is Andy Hull, but besides that, it's skippable. The Decemberists Castaways and CutoutsThe Dillinger Escape Plan Ire WorksThe Doors The Soft ParadeThe Doors Waiting for the SunThe End (CAN) Within DividiaThe Faceless Nightmare FestThe Fall of Troy DoppelgangerThe Fall of Troy Ghostship DemosThe Hollies Would You BelieveThe Mars Volta AmputechtureThe Mountain Goats SwedenThe National The NationalThe National's debut is just, kinda, there. It's okay. Matt rules on it, but theres not really anything to go back to besides John's Star. It's a solid, but never truly great album all the way through, but it's still worth a try if youre hardcore into the band like me. BlehThe New Pornographers Twin CinemaThe Ocean HeliocentricI'm between a 3 and a 3.5 on this record; did I expect this to top "Precambrian"? Absolutely not. However, I expected this to be a little better than it is. Honestly, while still a very solid record, with a few shining moments of genius, this album has it's flaws. One, like most other albums from The Ocean, inconsistency annoyed me. Some tracks are excellent, and contain some of the best vocal melodies from this band, while other tracks, were either mind numbingly boring, or to repetitive. Another problem with this album is the lack of diversity among the song types. Sure, the arrangements are varied, but there are too many songs that sound just like another on the album, too close for comfort. So why a 3? Why is this still a good record. Well, despite being a tad boring, the record, in most circumstances, is still beautifully arranged. The few standouts here REALLY stand out; the use of piano and strings sets them aside from any band in the genre, and they use these instruments to their advantage (usually), and one cannot ignore this and simply give the album a 2. Even if an album drags, and is boring, and can be a tad dull, when it's arranged and crafted like this, it can never simply be a terrible effort. Despite being disappointed, despite the lack in song variety, despite the major inconsistency among the quality of songs, "Heliocentric" is too unique, original and well composed to not be a good record. The Rolling Stones Let It BleedThe Twilight Sad The Twilight Sad The Used ArtworkThe Weakerthans FallowThe Who Who Are YouThe Who My GenerationThelonious Monk Monk's MusicThis Will Destroy You This Will Destroy YouThomas Giles PulseSometimes this gets so far off that it annoys me. He likes to fuck around with vocal affects way too much also, but it shows he knows what hes doing and hes proven hes a varied musician, but the songwriting on here is really lacking.Thrice The Illusion of SafetyThrice VheissuThrice Major/MinorTitus Andronicus The MonitorA surprisingly solid album considering the muddy production. Possibly similar to "Fang Island", in terms of harmonies and energy, but maybe not on the same level, the vocals and lyrics can get irritating and a few songs are too long, but the riffs are catchy as hell. The whole sound is pretty enjoyable, but maybe a lesser version Fang Island's more impressive sound. Still and interesting album, if they would get some better production, maybe a new singer, and shorten the songs, they'd be on their way to an excellent album. Solid.Trivium ShogunTrophy Scars Darkness, Oh HellTried to find the 'masterpiece' in this for the last time. Yes, it's really good, in some spots even stellar, but ultimately is too samey, and Jerry tries WAYYYYYYYYYY too hard with the whole intense bluesy thing and it comes off as incredibly forced, its like all the small flaws of Bad Luck embraced and put on too a full album, and these two things drag down what could have been a truly phenomenal work. It's still really good, and I might change my mind over time, but I can't help but feel like it's a little too much at times. But Time in Heaven fucking rapes soUnearth The MarchUnexpect UtopiaVolbeat The Strength/The Sound/The SongsWatchtower Control and ResistanceWilliam Fitzsimmons The Sparrow and the CrowWilliam Fitzsimmons GoodnightWomen WomenWomen Public StrainWrath and Rapture Wrath and RaptureNeeds some song-writing improvement and less filler, but is a very interesting and diverse listen. The sprinkled use of jazz, funk and rock is refreshing and never gets too out of hand, but the excessive filler tracks, though well-written, annoy me. The actual songs themselves are excellent, and if this band makes improvements in production, song-writing, and use less filler, they could be something really special. This will probably end up being at the bottom of my Top 25 of 2010 list. Great job guys.Yasushi Yoshida Secret FigureYes Going for the OneYes YesYes Drama2.5 averageA Perfect Circle Mer de NomsAC/DC PowerageAFI Sing the SorrowAlkaline Trio This AddictionAll That Remains Behind Silence and SolitudeAll That Remains OvercomeAngels and Airwaves LoveAnimal Collective Sung TongsAnimal Collective FeelsArchitects Hollow CrownArsis Starve for the DevilAs I Lay Dying Shadows Are SecurityAs I Lay Dying An Ocean Between UsAugust Burns Red MessengersAugust Burns Red Looks Fragile After AllThis didnt show at all what kind of potential they had.......not worth your time even if you are an ABR fanBeach House DevotionBeach House Teen DreamBelle and Sebastian Write About LoveBetween the Buried and Me The Anatomy OfBlack Sabbath ForbiddenBlind Guardian Nightfall in Middle-Earthblink-182 Blink-182blink-182 Take Off Your Pants And JacketBorn of Osiris The New ReignBorn of Osiris A Higher PlaceBrand New Your Favorite WeaponBreaking Benjamin SaturateBreaking Benjamin We Are Not AloneBreaking Benjamin Dear AgonyBruce Springsteen Working on a DreamBurn the Priest Burn the PriestBurzum Hvis Lyset Tar OssBurzum FilosofemCat Stevens Tea for the TillermanCave In White SilenceNot nearly as epic as a comeback as I thought it was going to be. It'as certainly not awful but overall its really underwhelming and sometimes even annoying. Not getting the hype.Chthonic Mirror Of RetributionCoheed and Cambria Year of the Black RainbowOh well. Coheed is a great band, really great, but they've finally released a record that is lucky to be solid on it's best day. Way too much experimentation, in a bad way, the experiments don't work, every song has some brilliant melodies from Claudio, and fantastic drumming, but most of this is drowned out by synths and Volta-esque digital effects that completely ruin whatever few good qualities this did have. I am disappointed, not only because I am a Coheed fan, but because this is most likely a sound they are going to keep for a while. Too many synths, too many ideas that don't fit, too much for Coheed to handle. Their older, stripped down style focused on layering in guitar riffs and epic melodies, this falls flat.Converge Halo in a HaystackCreed Full CircleOk, so they suck, but they are not the worst band in the world.Daughters DaughtersIt's just not good. The vocals flow awfully, they are also awful themselves, the songs are all the same and do not stand out whatsoever from each other, the album is boring. The only positives qualities, like the quirky and interesting use of synths and electronics, and the sometimes stellar interludes are completely ruined by the more prominent bad ideas. The album isn't horrible, but it's just boring, really no replay value and to many bad moments to be solid. Death Cab for Cutie Codes and KeysDef Leppard PyromaniaDisturbed Ten Thousand FistsDream Theater Six Degrees of Inner Turbulencesome great shit and good wank and a lot of bad shit, bad wank, and bad songwriting and bad james labrie fucking tardDream Theater When Dream and Day UniteDream Theater OctavariumDream Theater A Dramatic Turn of EventsDustin Kensrue This Good Night Is Still EverywhereEloy OceanEmery ...In Shallow Seas We Sailbleh. Their okay, but they remind me of a far less offensive Hawthorne Heights, honestly. Overrated and too many poorly executed post hxc gay moments, and i actually like some that shitERRA AndromedaERRA ImpulseExplosions in the Sky How Strange, InnocenceExplosions in the Sky Take Care, Take Care, Take Careboring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boringFair to Midland Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is TrueFates Warning Night on BrockenFates Warning DisconnectedFoster the People Torches oh come onfun. Some Nightspretty varied pop album but come on are you guys fucking serious its gayGodspeed You! Black Emperor aMAZEzine!Gorillaz Plastic BeachNot horrible but these guys have always really annoyed me, and after hearing almost half the album I was annoyed like never before, but it's still not a 'bad' album. Grimes VisionsGuns N' Roses Appetite for DestructionHer Name Is Calla Mawlol wtf this is so boring. Last track had about 4 or 5 minutes of GREAT material but the rest of this album was pointless and a waste of time.In Flames Sounds of a Playground FadingIron Maiden No Prayer for the DyingIron Maiden The Final FrontierISIS CelestialJames LaBrie Elements Of PersuasionJoanna Newsom YsJohn Coltrane Sun ShipKayo Dot Blue Lambency DownwardKing Crimson In the Wake of PoseidonLamb of God WrathLamb of God ResolutionLed Zeppelin CodaLed Zeppelin PresenceListener WhispermoonMastodon The HunterMegadeth Th1rt3enMeshuggah Catch ThirtythreeMetallica Garage Inc.mewithoutYou Blood Enough For Us AllMiles Davis Filles de KilimanjaroModest Mouse Good News for People Who Love Bad NewsMogwai Hardcore Will Never Die, But You WillMolotov Solution The HarbingerMotion City Soundtrack Even If It Kills MeMotley Crue Shout at the DevilMotohiro Nakashima We Hum On The Way HomeOn Nakashima's modern classical album "We Hum On the Way Home" There are some brilliant ideas, and some lame ones. Mostly lame ones. The trumpet on here is the worst fucking thing Ive ever heard.Muse The ResistanceNecrophagist EpitaphNile Those Whom the Gods Detestof Montreal Paralytic StalksOlafur Arnalds Variations of StaticOpeth BurdenOrchid Chaos is MeOrphaned Land The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOROverkill IronboundOk, not really horrible or even poor, but REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY BORING.Parkway Drive Killing with a SmilePassion Pit MannersPink Floyd The WallPink Floyd The Final CutPink Floyd Obscured by CloudsPink Floyd MorePorcupine Tree The IncidentPortugal. The Man The Satanic SatanistProtest the Hero A Calculated Use of SoundProtest the Hero ScurrilouswhywhywhywhywhywhywhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyRadiohead Pablo HoneyRadiohead The King of LimbsRed Sparowes The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein...Rhapsody of Fire The Frozen Tears of AngelsRise Against The Sufferer and the WitnessRush RushSaetia A RetrospectiveSaxon Shore Four Months of DarknessSay Anything BaseballShadows Fall Threads of LifeSigh Scenes from HellSigur Ros VonSilverstein Discovering the WaterfrontSlayer Hell AwaitsSlayer God Hates Us AllSlayer World Painted BloodSocial Distortion Somewhere Between Heaven And HellSonic Youth Daydream NationSpock's Beard OctaneStructures All of the AboveSufjan Stevens Enjoy Your RabbitSufjan Stevens The Age of AdzI even struggle to give this a 2.5, the only reason that this gets above a 2 is because it's well produced and instrumentally monstrous. But most of the time, its annoying, too electronic and simply not what Sufjan should be trying to do. He was better when he was writing acoustic songs and adding a symphony to the mix, not masturbating to auto-tune and 800 keyboards for three hours. Unfortunately, as Sufjan has done this type of thing in his early days, he is now back to what he was simply not good at it, and for someone who created a masterpiece (Illinoise), this is extremely disappointing. Symphony X IconoclastTexas in July I AmTextures SilhouettesThe American Dollar Awake In The CityThe Beatles With the BeatlesThe Devil Wears Prada Dead ThroneThe Fall of Troy ManipulatorThe Mars Volta LiveThe Mars Volta The Bedlam in GoliathThe Mars Volta OctahedronThe Mars Volta prove they can write music that captures you in ambiance, and even offer great melodies and compositions but some of this album is so boring and unmemorable that it becomes inconsistent. It's just, kinda, okay. The highlights are fantastic though, theres just not nearly enough of them for this part to be on par with their previous work. And Omar's vox are a little over the top in their production at times, while other times they sound cool as hell. Inconsistency is what ruins Octahedron from being a fully enjoyable, and truly great record. Volta always threatened theyd make a pop record, and they have, but they drenched it.The Number Twelve Looks Like You Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.The Number Twelve Looks Like You Put On Your Rosy Red GlassesThe Rolling Stones Exile on Main St.The Rolling Stones Sticky FingersThe Velvet Underground White Light/White HeatThe Vines Winning DaysThe Wonder Years Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm NothingThe Word Alive DeceiverThrice The Artist in the AmbulanceThrice BeggarsTimes of Grace The Hymn of a Broken ManTom Petty WildflowersTool ÆnimaTool UndertowTool 10,000 DaysTrivium AscendancyUnderoath Define the Great LineUnderoath Lost in the Sound of SeparationUnearth Darkness in the LightVeil of Maya The Common Man's CollapseUnfortunately, I am a sucker for anything with sweeps and swift rhythm changes. I actually don't really think that this is mediocre, it's actually overall pretty okay. Theres actually like 3 or 4 great songs on here, and the rest are just average deathcore. painfully average. too bad their other shit sucks.Veil of Maya [id]Veil of Maya Eclipsei mean im all for sweeps and breakdowns and yeah but most of this is just as mediocre as their other stuff, i still enjoy a song or two off each album but thats about itWe Came As Romans To Plant a SeedWeezer The Red AlbumWeezer HurleyWilco A.M.William Basinski The Disintegration Loops IIIYeasayer Odd BloodYellowcard Ocean AvenueYes Tormato2.0 poorA Day To Remember HomesickAC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt CheapAC/DC Back In BlackAC/DC For Those About To Rock We Salute YouAdrenaline Mob Adrenaline MoblollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllAdrenaline Mob Omertafalse rock guys i tried pretty much the whole thing had like two or three good songs the rest was fucking boring and this kinda sounds like disturbed with a slightly less (but still) annoying vocalist and it just kinda sucks guys false rock soft not even hard fuck portnoy fat fuck and its barely good enough to be mediocre is this a jokeAl Di Meola Vocal RendezvousAlkaline Trio Maybe I'll Catch FireAll That Remains ...For We Are ManyArchitects The Here and NowAs Blood Runs Black AllegianceAs I Lay Dying Frail Words CollapseAttack Attack! This Means WarYeah so like they took a lot of the atrociously gay parts out and with that, its easier to hear the incredibly mediocre riffs, boring guitar work and awful vocals. At least they improved from absolutely god awful to just really bad. and look at that album cover. only heard a few songs off this, but I can safely say I get the point. Black Sabbath DehumanizerBon Jovi Slippery When WetBorn of Osiris RosecranceBreaking Benjamin PhobiaBruce Springsteen Greatest Hits (1995)Cancer Bats Bears, Mayors, Scraps & BonesCannibal Corpse Eaten Back to LifeChimaira Pass Out of ExistenceDisturbed IndestructibleDisturbed AsylumDream Theater Falling into InfinityDream Theater Systematic ChaosDream Theater WitherElitist EarthFall Out Boy Take This to Your GraveFlyleaf FlyleafFrom First to Last HeroineGreen Day 21st Century BreakdownI Declare War MalevolenceIn Flames A Sense of PurposeISIS SawbladeJack Johnson Sleep Through the StaticJimmy Eat World Chase This LightJob for a Cowboy GenesisJob for a Cowboy RuinationJudas Priest NostradamusKashiwa Daisuke 5 Dec.Kayo Dot CoyoteKillswitch Engage Killswitch Engage (2009)King Crimson IslandsKreator Hordes of ChaosLamb of God New American GospelMayday Parade A Lesson In RomanticsMerzbow MerzbearMetallica LoadMiles Davis Miles in the SkyMiss May I Monument lol this bandNeutral Milk Hotel On Avery IslandNoah and the Whale Peaceful, the World Lays Me DownNoah and the Whale The First Days of SpringNoah and the Whale? More like Noah and the Fail. Pathetic pussies. Psyopus Odd SensesPungent Stench Been Caught ButteringRise Against EndgameRotting Christ AealoSay Anything Anarchy, My DearSay Anything's new album is proof that brilliant people can write bad music Shadows Fall Of One BloodShadows Fall Somber Eyes to the SkySix Feet Under Graveyard Classics IIIDefinitely a poor cover album, another waste of time from this awful band, but at least it's better than listening to their original material. And even though they did a bad job with it, they chose a very underrated Metallica track "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" to cover, which was better than covering something more cliche. Whatever the case be, though it's better than listening to the bands original material, the album still blows and is the worst of the year so far. Slipknot All Hope Is GoneSocial Distortion Mommy's Little MonsterStructures Divided BySunn O))) Monoliths and DimensionsSymphony X The Damnation GameThe Beatles Please Please MeThe Beatles Yellow SubmarineThe Devil Wears Prada PlaguesThe Devil Wears Prada With Roots Above and Branches BelowThe Fray How to Save a LifeThe Wonder Years Get Stoked on It! this band sucksThrice Identity CrisisTom Jones 24 HoursTool Lateralus"Lateralus" is ridiculously overrated. It's bloated, boring, dull most of the time, the vocals are bad, and it just doesn't do what it could have done. Despite the monotonous nature of the album, some of the experimentation is very interesting, but these stand out moments aren't as abundant as one would hope. Another highlight are the drums and bass, which are brilliant. Overall, a mostly boring and dry album with a few flashes of experimental bliss, and don't forget the fantastic drumming. But it's still overrated, so get off Tool's dick already. Repetition does not work in their favor, while one might argue repetition can add to the atmosphere of a song, it barely works for Tool here. Fuck this album.Trivium Ember to InfernoTrivium The CrusadeTrivium In WavesWeezer Make BelieveYes The LadderYes Fly from Here1.5 very poorAC/DC Black IceAll Time Low So Wrong, It's RightAnimal Collective Ark dipsity hardAnthrax Volume 8: The Threat Is RealAttack Attack! If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?Attack Attack! Attack Attack!Black Sabbath Born AgainCannibal Corpse KillChelsea Grin Chelsea GrinChelsea Grin Desolation Of EdenCreed Human ClayCute Is What We Aim For RotationDesign the Skyline NevaehDisturbed The SicknessExodus Let There Be BloodGenesis Calling All StationsHawthorne Heights The Silence in Black and WhiteHinder Extreme BehaviorIron Maiden Virtual XIKing Crimson The ConstruKction of LightLil Wayne Tha Carter IVLmfao Sorry For Party RockingMetallica St. AngerMetallica ReloadMetallica Some Kind of MonsterMichael Buble Crazy LoveMiles Davis DecoyMiles Davis AmandlaA 1.5 on sheer principle, I will not support Miles being a total fagMiles Davis Doo BopMy Chemical Romance Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoysi promise that if u listen to planetary it will be the worst song to pass through your ears ever guys Owl City Ocean EyesRise Against Appeal to ReasonSix Feet Under Death RitualsSleep DopesmokerSlipknot Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.Sunn O))) Black OneThe Academy Is... Fast Times at Barrington HighThe Devil Wears Prada Dear Love: A Beautiful DiscordThe Dillinger Escape Plan PlagiarismThe Human Abstract MidheavenWeezer RaditudeYes Big Generator1.0 awfulAttack Attack! Someday Came Suddenlyblink-182 BuddhaBoys Like Girls Love DrunkDot Dot Curve Til the Wheels Fall OffEmerson Lake and Palmer Love BeachEscape the Fate Dying Is Your Latest FashionEscape the Fate This War Is OursEscape the Fate SituationsKISS Crazy NightsLuke Bryan Tailgates & TanlinesLuke Bryan Doin' My ThingNot even troll ratings. He really is this bad. A 1 is the only rating for any of this fucking faggots work.Luke Bryan I'll Stay MeMiles Davis You're Under ArrestNew Kids on the Block Hangin' ToughPoison Look What The Cat Dragged InPoison Open Up and Say... Ahh!Poison Poison'd!R. Kelly Trapped In The Closet (Chapters 1-12)Six Feet Under CommandmentSuicide Silence No Time to BleedUnfathoms Sounds of an Islander's City...Unfathoms Da Lowd NOIZ DemoWaking The Cadaver DemoWaking The Cadaver Perverse Recollections Of A NecromanglerWold Screech Owlanybody who thinks this album is atmospheric or above a 1 is mentally retarded
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
