Average Rating: 3.43 Rating Variance: 0.55 Objectivity Score: 78% (Well Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicAt the Gates Slaughter of the SoulWow. At the Gates makes what might be the best melodic death metal album out there. It's slickly produced, smartly played by all performers, and lyrically intense. These are all elements needed to create a great metal album that are often sacrificed by other bands in an attempt to be fresh and new. Their Gothenberg sound is strong with them and it fares them well. The homogenous nature of the music does not become tiring due to the outright exciting way in which it is played. A near perfect album.Brian Eno Ambient 1: Music For AirportsA beautiful release that paved the way for several ambient projects to follow that never quite measure up to this one. Eno's playing style meanders through a landscape painted with a careful hand and hits all the right notes to pull the heartstrings of the listener. An album that will album stand the test of time.David Wise Donkey Kong Country 2 SoundtrackWithout directly applying nostalgic feelings to this soundtrack, it is truly a formidable foe among every other video game sountrack to follow it. Every song no matter how long or short displays an incredible sense of synthesized joy that is well-layered and controlled to the point of perfection. All the songs are memorable in their right and never wear themselves out.Deftones White PonyDeftones offers the unsuspecting public a tasteful and intelligent nu-metal album at a time when the adolescent and immature bands in the genre were at their highest in popularity. This album is near perfect in nearly every way. Moreno's diverse vocal styles and lyrics create a dark and oddly beautiful experience. The instrumentation is unorthodox for its time as well. Revolutionary.Godspeed You! Black Emperor F#A# (Infinity)Haunting, chilling, atmospheric, subtle. This is beyond music. GY!BE makes an unconventional album that reeks of apocalyptic and horrific themes without even using lyrics, but instead occasional voice-over and sound clips. This may be the best post-rock album of all time.Josh White AchorKevin Max Stereotype BeMax, of dc Talk fame, makes was is quite honestly the best album of all time in my mind. Nostalgia aside, this album is a seamless blend of all genres imaginable through Max's genius filter that gives all songs a slightly progressive and unique edge. Teaming up with contemporary guitarist Adrian Belew was a great choice. All of the songs have the same effect on me as they did when I first heard it. Magical, purely magical. Max's voice remains among the best in all the world and it carries through each song angelically. Thank God for this album.Kow Otani Shadow of the Colossus: Roar of the EarthMae The EverglowJimmy Eat World can bite the dust. Mae creates what may be the quintessential pop-rock album. The continuity throughout the songs is clear despite no two of them sounding the same. Dave Elkin's vocals are nowhere near perfect but have a certain boyish tone to them that is to the album's benefit. His guitar is so complex for the genre it cannot go unnoticed. All the catchy melodies work together and form a timeless album.Mineral The Power Of FailingNeutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the SeaThe crown gem of the indie rock/folk scene. Its unmatched weirdness still survives today to be startlingly unique and moving. Every piece fits so well into the puzzle that this album can become due to its odd instrumentation and surreal lyrics. Not to mention Jeff Magnum's off-pitch voice that is just so awful that it fits. A classic masterpiece of an album.Pig Destroyer TerrifyerPig Destroyer creates the album of their career and perhaps the grind album of the 00-10 decade. Every track presents brutality infused with sludgy, classic rock riffs that work hand in hand to form a truly classic metal record. The well-written and never too dark lyrics make the listener think intensely without being outright offended (at least, I wasn't). Near-perfect.Poison the Well The Opposite of DecemberNot only is it a perfect metalcore album, but it is also a musical treat to behold in general. Its short running time encapsulates so much emotion and musical prowess (breakdowns and all) and forms a musical collage that reminds us why every remembers this band whenever the word "metalcore" pops up in a conversation. So great, a true classic.Sufjan Stevens IllinoisThe best elementary school band I've ever heard. From folk to funk, all genres are seamlessly touched upon through the smarts of Stevens' crafty mind. All of the elements work, no matter how bizarre. The songs are some of the best in folk and rock in all of modern music. This is an ambitious album that is one of a kind and can not be missed by anyone who is a fan of music at all.The Dave Brubeck Quartet Time OutThe Smashing Pumpkins Siamese DreamThis is what might be the best alternative rock album of all time. The quirkiness to Corgan's strange yet lovable vocals and the advanced abilities of drummer Chamberlain are certainly the highlights. The album touches on both loud and soft, high and low, in true 90s alternative fashion. It may hold its place in the 90s, but it still remains one of the best in the genre today.Zao Liberate Te Ex Inferis"Hell is only a word. The reality is much, much worse..." And thus, we are launched into one of the darkest albums in the whole metalcore scene. The music and lyrics are so well-crafted in their simple brutality and it all just works so well. One of the best albums in all metal-dom.Zao The Funeral of GodWow. Zao really did it again. They somehow managed to release yet another classic record and remain relevant despite all the inner turmoil between the members. "Funeral of God" is a superb concept album that hits the listener hard in the musical department and backs it up with stellar lyrical topics. There are no songs on here that drag even momentarily; they just keep forging onward further into the reality the album is unfolding before us. Almost as great as "Liberate..."4.5 superbAgalloch Pale FolkloreAmerican Football American FootballHere is American Football in all their twinkle-y glory and completely worth the hype. The music touches on chilled-out jazz influences and ranges from lively and bouncy to slow and emotional. This is a one-of-a-kind, pioneer album that paved the way for several emo outfits to come. It's also just really, REALLY good.Barenaked Ladies MaroonBNL continues their crusade on the pop-alternative scene and makes another wit-filled release that flows even better than "Stunt." Their folky side is still intact and pridefully showcased in their music, showing that they are confident that they can still rule the radio. And, boy, did they.Beck Odelay!Becoming the Archetype The Physics Of FireBetween the Buried and Me ColorsBilly Joel Piano ManBilly Joel The StrangerBlood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & TearsThis jazzy record is filled with deep musical passages and fun moments that only a jaunty 60s record of this sort could. From the gravely vocals to the outstanding instrumentation (especially drums), there is a lot of poppy fun to be had for casual listeners as well as plenty of complexity for jazz snobs to drool over.Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeBT This Binary UniverseHere is an album that blows the head off of plenty of electronics competitors. BT takes elements from every form of electronic music and single-handedly creates a world of sound that immerses you upon every listen. Each song evokes a different emotion that overtakes all your senses and controls your mind.Bush Sixteen StoneCar Bomb w^w^^w^wAll of this album's stomach-churningly ugly musical moments culminate to form a formidable beast of an album that is well-produced, well-written, and just plain crazy. This is certainly the better of the two releases by the band that may be the edgiest in the metalcore-death-grind scene today.Cave In Until Your Heart StopsCoheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3This band needs to be chained up before they re-write the rules of progressive music as we know it. Co&Ca craft a beautiful album that melds the conventional with the unique in fresh ways. The music and lyrics are both equally emotive and the slick production is never too overbearing. A prog-alt-emo-blahblahblah album for the ages.Converge Jane DoeDamien Rice ORice crafts a breath-stealing release that presents diversity, honest lyrics, and melodies so fragile they could break at any moment. But Rice somehow makes every moment the very opposite of boring. Whether his voice, dry humor, or orchestra accompaniment that does the trick, elements of drama are always put to use without being over-sensational. One of the best alt-folk releases.David Maxim Micic BiloThis is the darn best-est djent that I ever heared.Deer Leap and The World Is A Beautiful Place... Are Here To Help YouThese two bands create a near-perfect split that will be remembered in the emo community for years to come.Defeater Lost GroundDeftones Koi No YokanThe long-awaited album from these legendary rockers does not disappoint. The immersive feel of the signature wall of guitars they have perfected with "Saturday Night Wrist" and synthesizer-laden nuances that permeate all the songs and fight their way to the surface, and beautifully so. the fantastic lyrics are never a problem here, either. The vocals are becoming a bit worn, but fit nonetheless. VERY well done.Delirious? GloA remarkable Christian album that is so much more than just a praise and worship project. The music and lyrics rise so high above those of most other bands in the vein of Delirious? The songs range in variety well and all have their extremely poignant meanings clear and intact. A great modern Christian record that is often sadly overlooked.Depeche Mode ViolatorDepeche Mode makes a very dark new wave album, but it is by far one of the best of the new wave movement. The music can drone on at times, but it never becomes uninteresting throughout its running time.Discordance Axis The Inalienable DreamlessThis album proves that grindcore really can be interesting. With its unintelligible shrieky and guttural vocals and cryptic (but never pretentious) lyrics, the album speeds through several without ever slowing down. The musicality found within the short running times given by the guitar and drums are ultra-fast and constantly moving. Grindcore is not for everyone, but this album touches on so many styles so subtly that it's hard not to listen to a number of times. And it never gets old.Dissection Storm of the Light's BaneDrudkh Blood In Our WellsElton John Tumbleweed ConnectionJohn easily slays almost all other country and folk-rock artists of his day with this album alone, which is a surprising and overlooked masterpiece. Bernie Taupin's Southern-themed lyrics really form great stories as John pounds away at the keys in true honky-tonk fashion. A supreme album.Emery The QuestionEmery The Weak's EndEmpire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) What It Takes To Move ForwardEnablers Blown Realms and Stalled ExplosionsA terribly over-looked album that surpasses many other "talk" albums out there. With its lyrics being at the spotlight, they are poetic and moving and narrative-based. The music can only occasionally drag the songs down due to repetition and overly dissonant melodies, but rarely ever does this occur (giving the album its only real weakness).Extol UndeceivedFaith No More Angel DustFalling Up FangsFront Porch Step So Help Me GodLyrical genius paired with a raw acoustic musical setting. Jake McElfresh is not afraid to say anything, and he spills his guts in a beautifully fresh way. Superb, and overlooked.Further Seems Forever How to Start a FireThough Chris Carraba's run in the band was fantastic, FSF presents a fantastic new edge with this album in their new vocalist, Jason Gleason. The music is a perfect mix of mainstream pop-punk and the odd-metered tendencies of their past. Absolutely breathtaking.Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas...Hella Hold Your Horse IsHis Name Is Alive Home Is In Your HeadHopesfall The Satellite YearsI Built The Cross Banish the DisconnectIn Extremo Weckt Die Toten!Jars Of Clay Jars Of ClayJimmy Eat World Bleed AmericanJimmy Eat World FuturesKamelot The Black HaloKoji Kondo The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time OSTKondo makes a beautiful, engaging soundtrack to a game that immerse anyone in the music even without a game with it. He uses a wide variety of tones and beats that harken back to medieval times, but also a menacing synthesizer drone to indicate an epic boss battle. It's absolutely amazing how a soundtrack to a video game (something many can gloss over) can be so moving.La Dispute Untitled 7"Life in Your Way Waking GiantsAll of the disjointed melodies and rhythms seem to push a listener away but soon show true creativity and cohesiveness of sound. The powerful lyrics are belted by a very talented vocalist who is backed be expert musicians. Life In Your Way proves that they are metalcore band who really GETS the genre.Limbonic Art Moon In The ScorpioLiving Sacrifice The Hammering ProcessMatchbox Twenty Mad SeasonMerchant Ships For CameronDon't write this off as just another Midwest 90s-style emo album. Well, it certainly is that, but one of the best in recent memory. The lyrics are only occasionally overbearing in the emotional department but still offer beautifully depressing poetry that offers hope in indirect ways. The music is very diverse and emotive in itself as well. This is a great album from a mysterious band that didn't last long enough.mewithoutYou Ten StoriesMortal Treason Sunrise Over A Sea Of BloodNaked City Naked CityAn endlessly creative and experimental album that goes where many others are afraid to go. The sound drifts carefully between contemporary and old-school jazz and runs a great deal of variation through the listener's mind. It rarely becomes overbearing or too grindy, but instead become more fun to listen to with each track.Napalm Death ScumThe paragon of intensity. Napalm Death's debut full-length plots out the future of grind core masterfully. From the muddled verses backed by blast beats and finger-numbing riffs to the old school thrashy moments, everything melds together well. The lyrics are interesting in their simplicity, even if one may find their politics to be dubious. A landmark release.Pedro the Lion ControlDavid Bazan pours his soul out in "Control" with astounding results. This album is a truly amazing example of chill-out indie rock. Bazan's usually cynical and insightful lyrics make the whole album, though, as they touch on insecurities, beliefs, and happiness in the world and in Bazan's life. An overlooked and masterful indie album.Pig Destroyer Phantom LimbRough around the edges in all the right ways, Pig Destroyer creates a wonderful death grind piece with "Phantom Limb." Within the chaos we have shoved violently down our ear canals is a plethora of formidable musical abilities and great songwriting that cannot be hidden. The brutal production reigns supreme in the sound of this album as it perfectly captures the drums and heavy guitar riffs that make the songs so memorable. This is a well- rounded album that is a very solid addition to the death grind hall of fame... if such a thing exists.Pinegrove MeridianPixies Surfer RosaPlanes Mistaken For Stars Fuck With FirePrayer for Cleansing The TragedyRadiohead In RainbowsRammstein MutterRyan Stubbs The Waking CardinalA beautifully realized musical work that carries several bold and nuanced parts that bridge together to create one of the best Praise albums of all time.Say Anything ...Is a Real BoySkillet CollideSnapcase Progression Through UnlearningThe definition of powerful. The hardcore scene of the '90s presented such deliciously abrasive riffs and basslines and paired it with passionate vocals and lyrics. Snapcase exemplifies this meaningful trend and blows many of their competitors out of the water with this album alone.Stars of the Lid And Their Refinement Of The DeclineSunny Day Real Estate DiarySystem of a Down ToxicitySoaD displays their signature, spastic sound in a controlled and well-executed way. The odd sense of humor about the whole album comes and goes as it pleases, which acts as a good palette cleanser when it needs to. An extremely great record from a band that deserves most of the credit they get.Tally Hall Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical MuseumThe Beatles The BeatlesBy far The Beatles' most experimental album. Not all of the elements are married together as well as they could have been leaving some inconsistent patches, but it's still one of their best.The Chariot Everything Is Alive, Everything Is...The Chariot One WingThe Dillinger Escape Plan Option ParalysisThe Dillinger Escape Plan Calculating InfinityThe Divine Comedy A Short Album About LoveThe Gaslight Anthem Sink or SwimThe Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessIts far too ambitious for a band that hadn't really been around long enough to release any more than a disc at a time, but it hits far more than it misses. It's almost a crime. Corgan's songwriting is at an all time high here. There are songs that are completely lame and bust a few cogs in the well-oiled machine that was running so efficiently at first, but nearly every song has a great, catchy hook and strong instrumentation to support the whole thing. Great SP fare, yet again.The Stone Roses The Stone RosesThe World is a Beautiful Place And... FormlessnessThis Will Destroy You Young MountainThroats ThroatsThursday Full CollapseTraining For Utopia Plastic Soul ImpalementVerwustung Beyond The Watercolor Sunset, We Feel New LifeVreid KraftYuriko I Hope Your Cancer Kills YouZao Where Blood and Fire Bring RestZao LegendaryZao The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD4.0 excellent90 Day Men To EverybodyA Genuine Freakshow OftentimesA Hope For Home In AbstractionThis slow burning post-metal release is a beautiful art to behold. The music slowly builds and retreats in sure post-rock fashion, and though it is very formulaic, it plucks each heartstring firmly along the way. The lyrics are some of the most atmospherically wonderful in recent memory. If the album isn't your cup of tea, just wait for the mind-blowing finale.Abandoned Pools Sublime CurrencyTommy Walter is a mad genius. Under his pseudonym, Abandoned Pools, he creates great electronic and guitar-heavy melodies that cut right to the heart. His bland but wide-ranged voice carries the whole thing beside ths instruments. This bouncy pop-rock album can become slow and heartfelt with no need for a strict transition and still feel fun.Acrassicauda Only the Dead See the End of the War EPAge Sixteen Open Up Finders, PleaseAlanis Morissette Jagged Little PillAll That Remains The Fall of IdealsApart Only RevolutionsAs Cities Burn Hell Or High WaterAugust Burns Red MessengersAn endlessly abrasive and wonderfully produced album. This near-revolutionary metalcore release breaks all the right bones with its brutality with a truly Spiritual finesse. Great instrumentation that makes even the steady chuggachuggachugga seem fresh.August Burns Red LevelerABR perfects their sound by adding a stunning amount of melody and progressive elements to the overall product and it turns out to be amazing. The drumming is well done as always, but the guitars shine through well here, with frequent guitar solos that are well metered and never too over the top. Inspirational and powerful lyrics, fist-pumping music, and great consistency.Avenged Sevenfold Waking the FallenBarenaked Ladies Stunt"Stunt" exercises just how tactful BNL is with any type of music they make, no matter the style. This pop-rock/alternative album is just as well made as their early folk work and remains a joyfully entertaining record still today. The quirkiness level may be just a bit too high and seems to get it the way of serious musical examination, but it's all softened by the times when the lyrics are actually serious.Barenaked Ladies GordonJazzy movements and vocal harmonies abound really make this alt-folk album fantastic. All of the excellent playing abilities present and the silly lyrics combine to form a nice package of songs that shouldn't be taken too seriously but will be revered.Battles MirroredDon't pass this art-rock album up. All of its weirdness and jazz-influenced parts combine to make a fun and abstract collection of songs that will stick in your head for a long time.Becoming the Archetype Celestial CompletionBenea Reach AlleviatBetween the Buried and Me The Parallax II: Future SequenceIt's about time this band made something inconsistent, if only slightly. This installment in BTBAM's journey seems to push a bit too hard to be "progressive," even more so than "Colors," but it still is a technically satisfying and enjoyable record that could be one of the best modern prog albums around.Biffy Clyro Only RevolutionsBilly Joel 52nd StreetIt sounds very alike from song to song, but the overall product has signature Joel flair all over it. The fun, nostalgic, and emotional lyrical themes paired with strong performances from all instrumentalists (including Joel on piano duties) makes for a great album from the late 70s that only sometimes gives into cheesy mainstream urges.blink-182 blink-182blink-182 Enema of the StateBloc Party A Weekend In The CityBloc Party Silent AlarmBloodshed BloodshedBrightside Seconds MatterBrooke Fraser AlbertineBurns Out Bright Distance and DarknessBurst OrigoBurzum FilosofemCartel ChromaCattle Drums The Boy Kisser SessionsCerce CerceChevelle Vena SeraMaybe Chevelle's heaviest and most diverse release. They release a great release to follow a painfully mediocre predecessor. They prove their smart abilities in their lyrical and instrumental abilities more so than before. "Vena Sera" is a truly remarkable, adrenaline-pumping affair.Children of God Coup De GraceChildren of God DEMOCityCop SeasonsCityCop The Hope In Forgiving & Giving Up HopeClem Leek Snow TalesCoalesce Give Them Rope, She SaidEven its insanely repetitive riffs have enough life in them to kick the teeth out of plenty of metalcore today. Coalesce presents an actually brutal metalcore album that has all sorts of weird rhythms, contemplative lyrics, and intense breakdowns. The band is very controlled and structured in their approach here. A major flaw that exists, though, is the repetition can be a bit... well, repetitive.Coheed and Cambria The Afterman: AscensionCo&Ca shows modern progressive bands how its done yet again, but this time with far more theatrics. The album's sound harkens to the robust sound of 1970s progressive band like Pink Floyd and Yes while maintaining composure in the band's unique style. And the story still hasn't gone stale!Coheed and Cambria The Second Stage Turbine BladeCoheed and Cambria shows their unique mix of emo and progressive rock and does it well in a very controlled and mature fashion. There are plenty of dull moments, but they are all quickly buried by the album's stellar high points. And what a story!Converge When Forever Comes CrashingConverge Axe to FallConverge All We Love We Leave BehindIt doesn't sound much different than Converge's previous material, but the album comes alive in its subtleties. It makes for a great metalcore release from this year.Crossbreed New Slave NationCrossbreed manages to create a barrage of intensity within a short amount of time, and quite well. They seem to revive the nu-metal scene of late 90s, without being campy about it, an edge to it that only industrial metal can bring. This is a great EP.Dark Tranquillity FictionDarkthrone A Blaze in the Northern Sky"A Blaze In the Northern Sky" exemplifies much of black metal's finest and most bothersome elements, but creates a truly interesting and enjoyable record despite its minor setbacks. The inevitable repetition of any true black metal album is on display from track to track here, but never becomes too overwhelming due to the vast array of tempos and guitar work there is. Darkthrone shows off their muscles in this album and it ultimately pays off.Darkthrone PanzerfaustDashboard Confessional A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A ScarAn album that could easily be passed off as a mere pretty-boy emo episode, but this album is beautiful through and through.David Maxim Micic Bilo 2.0Deadguy Fixation on a CoworkerDeath HumanDefeater TravelsDeftones Saturday Night WristDeftones has a hard time making anything bad. It's not "White Pony," but it very well might be the next best thing. The dreamy guitar sounds as aggressive as ever as it is played more furiously than on their previous material. The addition of some ethereal key loops and sensual baselines culminate to form an unexpected turn in Deftones' sound. Moreno also sounds great here.Demon Hunter Storm The Gates Of HellDemon Hunter The TriptychDionaea StillDIR EN GREY DUM SPIRO SPERODIR EN GREY UroborosDIR EN GREY The UnravelingDisharmonic Orchestra Not to be Undimensional ConsciousDreamshade The Gift of LifeDrottnar WelterwerkAn amazingly unique and surprisingly well-crafted barrage of angular, dissonant guitar wankery and black metal styles. It can wear on the ears at times, but is generally awesome.Drudkh Autumn AuroraDrudkh EstrangementDrudkh Eternal Turn of the WheelElliott Smith Either/OrEmpire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) Home After Three Months AwayEmpire! Empire! finally comes back around after the monstrous success of "What it Takes to move Forward" and releases their best EP yet. The songs are all concise compared the bulk of the band's running times, but they offer just as much emotion as the others. However, the band needs to start experimenting, because their sound is becoming somewhat tiring.Envy On The Coast Lucy GrayEvery Time I Die Ex LivesThis rockin' band makes yet another rockin' album with spastic instrumentation and provocative lyrics. This album is still raw at its core, but is also very polished in the vocal department, which can work to both its advantage and detriment in different cases. This is a band that will not slow down.FACT Never Turn Out The Light To Keep MyselfSounds like they really had it together back then.Falling Up Your Sparkling Death ComethFat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt Dys/ClosureFilter The Trouble With AngelsFilter finally finds the happy medium between their industrial roots and their newfound alternative rock edge. The sounds are married to form an enjoyable but occasionally overproduced sound that works well when paired with the passionate lyrics.Fleshgod Apocalypse OraclesFocal Point Suffering of the MassesFoghat Foghat LiveA great live performance with plenty of extra flair to it.For Today PrevailerFoxy Shazam Foxy ShazamFrom Autumn To Ashes Too Bad You're BeautifulFrost Like Ashes TophetFurther Seems Forever The Moon Is DownFrom the usage of progressive song structures to Chris Carraba's milky voice, this album is an excellent addition into the emo community. The touching and emotion-drenched lyrics are adolescent, but they have a great amount of feeling to them that a lot of bands lack today. All of the unique elements FSF had deserves to marveled at for years to come.Ghostface Killah Twelve Reasons to DieGlassjaw Coloring Book"Coloring Book" finds Glassjaw pumping life back into their deliciously unique sound that explores the side of guitars and vocals that other bands would be afraid to. The post-hardcore mastery going on here is so great that it becomes impossible to not love it.Gnarwolves CruGodspeed You! Black Emperor Slow Riot For New Zero KanadaHeaven Shall Burn AntigoneHope For The Dying Aletheia (LP)Hopesfall No Wings To Speak OfHot Water Music A Flight and a CrashProving to be one of the kings of late 90s-early 00s post-hardcore, HWM creates a fast and heavy album that remains emotionally driven through all of its punk movements. Another great move for the band.House Of Heroes SuburbaHouse Of Heroes The End is Not The EndI Kill Giants I Kill GiantsI Kill Giants We Can Live In The Exact Same PlaceIncubus S.C.I.E.N.C.E.There are few bands that can blend such drastically different genres in such subtle and genius ways. Incubus blends funk, soul, and nu-metal with unexpectedly awesome results. The often over-layered vocals and glitches can be obnoxious at times, but the masterful technique used and the poetic lyrics make for an unforgettable album.Interpol Turn on the Bright LightsIron Thrones Visions of LightIsolated Separate Ways TogetherJars Of Clay Who We Are InsteadJars Of Clay The ShelterJimmy Eat World ClarityJonsi GoJustin Timberlake The 20/20 ExperienceLa Dispute WildlifeLa Dispute Here, Hear. IIILifehouse Stanley ClimbfallLifehouse releases the best album in their discography with "Stanley Climbfall." The simple, alternative beats and melodies are expertly played and paired with signature grunge-ish vocals. Start to finish, its music, lyrics, and production value spin a web of pop-rock that you can't help but find yourself attached to, whether in its jumpy moments or soft and moody parts.Living Sacrifice RebornLiving Sacrifice The Infinite OrderLook Mexico This Is Animal MusicLook Mexico Gasp AspMae (e)veningMaruta Forward Into RegressionMassive Attack MezzanineMayhem Out From The DarkMcLusky The Difference Between Me and You...Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into HellMeat Loaf Bat Out of HellMegaherz KopfschussThough many Americans may think of Rammstein as the figureheads of German Hard Style, Megaherz proves that they are not far behind, and may be even a few steps ahead in a few respects.Megaherz Wer Bist DumewithoutYou Brother, SisterDespite its over ambitious variation in sound, the right notes are definitely hit more often than not. The lyrical genius of Aaron Weiss is always at the forefront.Mineral EndSerenadingMortal Treason A Call To The MartyrsMr. Bungle CaliforniaMy Brightest Diamond Bring Me the WorkhorseMy Brightest Diamond All Things Will UnwindMy Chemical Romance The Black ParadeMy Chemical Romance I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought...Neur Untitled Norma Jean Bless the Martyr and Kiss the ChildOctaves Greener PasturesIt's evident that the band is chasing after an older metalcore sound (a la Converge or Coalesce) mixed with a newer edge. The best part is: it works. This band shows a great amount of promise and shows that they have the ability to stay far enough away from flaunting their influences to where they can create their own sound.Old Gray An AutobiographyOlde Pine ReservoirOvlov What's So Great About the City?A fun throwback to 90s alternative grunge like Dinosaur Jr. and Dada with a pop-rock lightheartedness.P.O.D. SatellitePaper Rival Paper Rival - EPParabelle Reassembling the IconsParabelle trudges through the mess of generic hard rock (or "radio rock," it seems) and gathers up a batch of original and provocative songs. The effect-drenched guitars prove to be a nice break from the usual one-tone guitars of most hard rock. Kevin Matisyn's voice and lyrics are unparalleled in quality within much of the genre.Parabelle Your Starry Eyes Will Never Make Us EvenParkway Drive HorizonsThis extremely entertaining and dramatic metalcore album isn't so much unique as it is just possessing an extra edge that not many other bands of their kind do. They aren't afraid to step out of the box and shred or noodle out on drums. Their intense lyrics make for an inconsistent ride, though, but still fairly provocative.Parkway Drive Don't Close Your EyesWow. This is more like deathcore than their later stuff. Great EP.Phinehas thegodmachineThere is always that one band that comes out of nowhere and claims the throne, or at least part of the throne, of a genre. Phinehas is that band to metalcore with this album alone. Mixing bare guitar-centric metal with modern flair, the band chugs and shreds with powerful results that make for an almost confusingly new experience. The lyrics are emotional and the vocals drive them home well. A genre-encompassing surprise. A small gripe: Where's the bass?Pierce the Veil Collide With the SkyPig Destroyer Prowler in the YardPinegrove Mixtape OnePorcupine Tree In AbsentiaPortrait of David These Days Are Hard To IgnoreProject 86 Wait for the SirenProtest the Hero FortressA barrage of impressive talent that can be a bit overwhelming at times, but it is certainly an experience to be had and not soon forgotten.Punch Nothing Lasts 7"Pissed-off and lyrically blunt, Punch certainly comes out of the gates swinging with this short but effective release. The music drifts strategically from hardcore to grind and back again with Napalm Death-esque precision and delivers a brutal outcome. A great EP.Quicksand Manic CompressionThe hard-crunching riffs here are sensational. This is a persistently heavy and grungy album that explores hardcore elements as well and geniusly combines the two. It can become predictable at many times, but it still holds steady throughout.Rammstein Live aus BerlinThis is an absolutely amazing live performance both audibly and visually by Germany's maverick industrial heroes. All of the pyrotechnics cover up a few musical mistakes well. All of the members sound great throughout the entire journey. A classic live installment in Rammstein's extensive discography.Rammstein Reise, Reise"Reise, Reise" upholds a certain sense of drama throughout its content that the previous Rammstein releases never accomplished. The band proves just how consistent and on-point they are with their musical and lyrical habits here. The ultimate repetition of the entire thing is a problem at times, but the interesting elements patch those up nicely.Rammstein HerzeleidRed Innocence and InstinctRelient K Two Lefts Dont Make a Right But Three DoRoad to Manila DistanceSaosin Translating the NameSay Anything Say AnythingSense Field Tonight and ForeverSevendust Black Out the SunShadow Of The Colossus Shadow of the ColossusShikari ShikariShowbread Anorexia NervosaSilverstein This Is How the Wind ShiftsSkillet Comatose Comes AliveA great live performance from a truly powerful band. The sound and visuals are great and so is the setlist. The pacing of the order of the songs really works and keep listeners and viewers fully engaged. I sure wish I was there!Snapcase End TransmissionIt's repetitive and may be a bit too aggressive, but the whole concept of the album proves that Snapcase is really out to hope for a change. They know the world gets them down and they scream it at the top of their lungs. The juicy Rage Against the Machine guitar and vocal syncopation beats the listener's eardrums relentlessly... but in a good way. A great little early metalcore/hardcore album.So Long Forgotten Beneath Our Noble HeadsSoilwork The Living InfiniteSoundtrack OnceA light-hearted, indie romp soundtrack that contains excellent music with few weak spots. The vocal duets are airtight and when paired with simple piano and guitar parts, everything shines together. The lyrics are sweet and humorous at times, but ultimately meaningful; sometimes to the point of inducing tears, sometimes they are sappy. It's more hit than miss, though, that's for sure.Soundtrack Jet Set Radio Future OSTThis eclectic and dance-centric soundtrack is as quirky and it is actually impressive. The beats and melodies to the features music from other artists, it's all so much fun to listen to even without the game to accompany it, excluding a few annoying tracks.Spitfire (USA-VA) The Dead Next DoorSpitfire's style blends elements of grind and metalcore much like Converge or Botch... but it still manages to stand tall above several metalcore albums at the time. The thrash-oriented side to the softer and more melodic side make for a cohesive yet chaotic experience. The production is raw and uncompromising. The lyrics can be a bit lame for the power in the music, though, and the songs can become too repetitive in the "cool riff" department.Switchfoot Legend of ChinTaake Nattestid Ser Porten VidThe Ataris End is ForeverThe Beautiful South ChokeThe Chariot The FianceeThe Chariot UnsungThe Chariot Long LiveThe Chariot chugs along like a steamroller with a vengeance. They have always been one of the most energetic and unique bands in their genre and this album solidifies this for sure.The Chariot Before There WasThe Classic Crime The Silver CordThere are few mainstream rock albums that work as well as this release does. Song to song, there is a plethora of memorable an thoughtful moments that run the emotional gamut skillfully. This is a wonderful release that was a bit unexpected coming from such a young and obscure band.The Clippers An Evening With The ClippersIt's funny, because it seems like The Clippers can make a solid rock album with six songs all under two minutes long even better than several take a whole half hour to do. These songs are fun and polished to all get out, but they also contain a great amount of heart and soul to them. But a weak point is a lack of variety.The Color Morale Know HopeA great new direction for this band. Their lyrics are the in the foreground here, and they shine beautifully on their own. The music becomes more breakdown-centric, but still splices melody in simple but beautiful ways. Rapp's new vocal approach is very raw and requires less studio work. Great album overall that suffers from only its generic sound and occasional, unnecessary vocal noodling.The Decemberists The Crane WifeThe Devil Wears Prada ZombieThe Dillinger Escape Plan One of Us Is the KillerThe Dillinger Escape Plan Under the Running BoardThe Echelon Effect MosaicThough nothing all that unique in the post-rock, it carries a gentle form of intensity with it that drives the musicianship home while remaining a tastefully controlled work of art. EE's simplistic orchestral movements paired with minimalistic drum machine beats and heavy live percussion makes for an interesting experience that takes its time but blooms beautifully.The Gaslight Anthem The 59 SoundThe Gaslight Anthem HandwrittenThe Prodigy The Fat of the LandThe Promise Ring Very EmergencyA jumpy and energy-filled pop-punk release that stands the test of time well. The lyrics examine a wide range of emotions and give the already great songs a whole new dimension. An excellent record that can wear thin (a bit) from song to song due to its homogenous sound, but is great fun nonetheless.The Rocket Summer Do You FeelThe Speed of Sound in Seawater Underwater Tell Each Other SecretsThe World is a Beautiful Place And... Josh Is DeadThird Eye Blind Third Eye BlindWith all its energy and soft tendencies, this album falints a strongly controlled form of alternative rock that could easily dominate the airwaves with each track. The only problem here is that the songs can tend to run together and become too formulaic, as well as overlong. A great, fun record.This Season's Color Orion, Pt. 2toe New SentimentalityA fun and frantic as well as unique EP. The groovy jazz application to post-rock works well for this band and they make beautiful music with those given traits. For an EP, this music covers more ground than some post-rock LPs do!toe The Future Is NowToe hits the target again. Their jazzy sound is still at its finest. Some extra elements add new easy listening flavors as well as more electronic intervention tastefully thrown into the mix. The majority of Toe's sound is just a well-organized soup of sound and that is very evident here, for better or for worse.Touche Amore/La Dispute Searching for a Pulse/The Worth of the WorldTrampled By Turtles PalominoA bouncy, fun, and rootsy folk release that may shoot a bit too high instrumentally, but is well controlled otherwise. The pacing on the album is very well arced from fast to slow and loud to soft. The songs have great qualities to them are could easily be enjoyed by those who are not even bluegrass fans due to the slightly contemporary nature of them.Transient AloneTransient skillfully moves from hardcore punk elements to post-rock styles and has heart-moving lyrics to go with it. Even the longer songs are exciting and fresh to hear. All the songs come together to form a great, albeit somewhat typical, EP.Trophywife Hold Onto Your LuckBlending progressive and hardcore elements fares Trophywife well here and it shows just how unique they really are. Despite some overlong songs and phrases, the band shows that they have a great amount of control over their grandiose ambitions.Twenty One Pilots VesselUNKLE Psyence FictionVampire Weekend Vampire WeekendVerwustung Soft Hands, Pale MoonVerwustung When Light Broke the Stars, Humanity Rejected UsWatashi Wa Eager SeasWheat Per Second, Per Second, Per Second... Every SecondX Japan Blue BloodDespite all the clear missteps in this album that render some tracks cheesy in their entirety (such as the opening track), the heart of thrash is still brutally present and it serves as a great addition to the Japanese metal scene that X Japan seemed to popularize on their own.Xibalba Hasta La MuerteWith a doom edge, this hardcore band really puts a through bullets through your ears with this stunning and heavy release. The drawn out guitars and heavy drumming (and heavy EVERYTHING), Xibalba is a force to be reckoned. They show that they may be a slave only to their own redundant sound, but are otherwise very creative and enjoyable.Yellowcard Southern AirWow. It really pays off to grow up. Yellowcard releases an excellent album here that shows haw the band has really matured and hardened over the years. The lyrics run the emotional gamut but always either bring a smile or a tear effectively. The music is pop-punk at its finest, as usual, as well. An all around ecellent record.Yoko Shimomura Kingdom Hearts II Original SoundtrackYou, Me, And Everyone We Know Things Are Really Weird Right NowA great lyrical and musical pop-rock treat. The songs are bouncy and fun, but also very meaningful and poignant. With sheer precision, the band cuts to the heart with their lyrics that set them apart from many other bands in their vein.Zao The Fear Is What Keeps Us HereZao The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation3.5 greatA Dream Too Late Intermission to the MoonThe more artsy and experimental side of pop-rock that remains melodic and lyrically astute, despite many dry moments.A Thorn For Every Heart Things Aren't So Beautiful NowA very overlooked post-hardcore album and band that infuses great vocal harmonies and unique nuances within their sound (like use of a violin). Sad that they never really reached any sort of mainstream popularity. The songs can be very whiny in the lyrical department and can suffer from lack of variety, but this is still a good debut album. (I've heard rumors of the band reuniting this year.)A Thorn For Every Heart Silence Is GoldenAbandoned Pools HumanisticThis album is a lot of fun. It never slows down even when the sound may slightly change. The slick pop-rock sound is strong in this offering and makes for a lot of fun. There can be times, thoough, when the album tries to be soft and meditative, but it just doesn't work.Adventures AdventuresAdventures is yet another band in the growing list of emo outfits in this decade, but they are one to stand out from the fray in subtle ways. Their female vocalist and fun vocal duos are strong points, though it can all be a bit too familiar.Agalloch From Which Of This OakAlcest BBC Live SessionAlexandre Desplat The Tree of Life Original SoundtrackThough it's not nearly as amazing as the classical pieces used in the film, Desplat shows his craft well nonetheless. The piano-driven pieces are minimal and evocative of a simpler time and age that describes the film's mission well and provides for a good listen, but it doesn't measure up to the greatest of Desplat's abilities.Alien Ant Farm ANThologyAlien Ant Farm truANTAll Things Bright and Beautiful Love and AffectionLee Bozeman has a lot of issues and he pours them all out in a mature and reflective fashion here. The music doesn't always own up to the deep lyrics, but it makes for a great listen overall.An Isle Ate Her PhreniaAll of its complicated sweepy riffs and blast beat-laden drumming culminates to make a very entertaining and satisfying grind album, but the lyrics, minus their extreme emotion, just don't amount to much due to how graphically they are presented. The useless profanity and violence seems more like an attempt at being br00tal than anything else. Great album, otherwise.Anterrabae Shakedown TonightAt the Gates Gardens Of GriefA truly well made EP overshadowed by the later success of the melodic death metal masters. The lo-fi, black metal quality works completely in the album's favor and creates a song structure that can seem too derivative at times but is enjoyable for what it is.Atmosphere You Can't Imagine How Much Fun...With all the classic rhymes and smooth flows, this album is a great modern hip-hop that flaunts its intelligence as much as its emotional vulnerability. A strong sense of musicality that cannot be found in much hip-hop anymore is ever present in Atmosphere's composition, with different genre influences and intriguing samples. It is immensely depressing and overlong, but it is still a genuinely honest and well-made musical effort.August Burns Red ConstellationsAugustana All the Stars and BoulevardsBarenaked Ladies Everything to EveryoneIt seems like a last ditch effort for a band that is losing popularity, but it is a genuinely well-crafted release in most ways. The vocals are a bit too over-produced for a band that relied on such raw methods before, and a lot of songs are only average, but the quirkiness and ballads are still there in all their glory.Barenaked Ladies Barenaked Ladies Are MeThey have nothing else to prove. BNL makes another consistently entertaining and fun release. This album seems to explore a more emotive side of the band which they have so cleverly disguised under silly lyrics and quirks but has not fully let it float to the surface until now. There are great tracks because of this, though some prove to be worthless.Baroness Yellow and GreenBaroness tries their hardest to sound different on every song... and it works. Their sludge metal leanings are still evident, but they widen their interests more and more with each note hit. They create an overly ambitious, but generally very good double album that wears its mistakes on its sleeve and sets out to fail but discovers interesting things along the way.Battles Gloss DropBecoming the Archetype DichotomyBenea Reach PossessionBetween the Buried and Me The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues"Hypersleep" is a clear indication of BTBAM's smarts as well as aimlessness. The progressive elements gel with one another well enough to create a short and diverse piece, but it lacks direction far too often.Blindside About A Burning FireBloodshed The Soft Spoken Words of FallbrookBlue October Any Man in AmericaBlue October makes a progressive album? Yeah, pretty much. And it has it's fair share of failures and success, but it is generally a cohesive and heartbreaking examining of colliding emotions. All of the songs are through some poppy filter, though the lyrics are always very dark and loathsome. This is their most lyrically robust effort, to say the least.Brave Saint Saturn The Light of Things Hoped For...Brian Eno Kite StoriesBrightwood WakeThink of an uber-dramatic Mae or Jimmy Eat World and you've got Brightwood. That's not to say that they aren't unique in their own right, though. With ambient tinged alternative sound, they create a truly atmospheric emotional portrait through their music and lyrics. However, their ambition can seem to swallow them up on some songs that become too saturated with bells and whistles.Bulwark ExcursionWith its great vocals and consistent instrumentation, Bulwark proves to be potential rising stars in progressive metal. They don't break many boundaries here, but show that they work extremely well within the confines of their genre. A great introduction EP for a band.Caitlyn Bailey Fuego!Cascade Kinzie Cascade KinzieChasing Victory FiendsChelsea Grin EvolveChevelle Wonder What's NextIt's whiny, repetitive, and even annoying at times, but the entire album holds a certain heavy charm that can't be ignored. Chevelle takes hard rock and really makes it accessible with this album, despite its obvious flaws. A great radio rock outing that is generally known only for its singles, but most tracks work out well without airplay.Childish Gambino CampChildren of God We Set Fire To The SkyCraig's Brother E.P.idemicThis brief but fun-filled EP melds old school pop-punk with newer styles that wrap it in a commercial film that doesn't muddy it up. The signature vocals are as great as ever under slicker production. The guitar and drums are tightly syncopated. But Craig's Brother seems to randomly break out into the punk sound of their old days in ways that reveal the seams too easily.Crown The Empire The FalloutDads American Radass (this is important)Though predictable, this slightly heavier version of emo is fun and unrelenting in its crazy presentation.Dark Tranquillity ProjectorAll of the trademark somber qualities of a death metal ballad album are present here and it works out very well altogther. The flow can be disrupted by occasionally overlong running times, though.Darkthrone Under a Funeral MoonDavid Crowder Band RemedyDefeater Dear FatherDeftones Around the FurDemon Hunter Summer Of DarknessDemon Hunter True DefianceDemon Hunter 45 DaysA wonderful live performance and an inspiring documentary as well, this is a bold release by a humble and driven band.Derek Webb Stockholm SyndromeDionaea GroundsIn all its finger-shredding and blast-beating glory, the album has few musical missteps. In fact, the whole thing is quite technically satisfying. However, it all becomes a bit too heavy with both grind and post-rock sounds, even the shorter songs. It could have been composed a bit tighter to make for a more cohesive experience.DIR EN GREY Uroboros: At Nippon BudokanDespite all of Kyo's vocal mishaps, the entire show is very well done. Kyo remains a great vocalist in metal due to his sheerly inhuman capabilities, and the rest of the band remains extremely talented. Thei stage presence and art direction is very entertaining and eye-appealing as well.DIR EN GREY RinkakuDIR EN GREY The Marrow of a BoneDown Factor Murder the WorldDrudkh The Swan RoadDrudkh Forgotten LegendsEdison Glass A Burn or a ShiverAn odd little indie pearl. This is an album full of surprises that come with mixed results, but the overall product is immensely enjoyable. The harmonized vocals are indelible and the instrumentation is widely diverse (the great drumming is one of the main highlights). However, the band seems to alway be holding something back....Electric Light Orchestra Out of the BlueAs same-sounding as this record is, it packs quite a musical punch. The music is all within the same playing field and is very easy to swallow, and that is exactly where the problem tends to lie; the repetition can become overbearing. Also, the slick production sprays a bit too much perfume on the tracks to make them sound nice and goes a bit overboard. Despite its shortcomings, ELO reveals just why they're something special on this album.Elliott Songs In a Transit WindEmery I'm Only A ManEmery We Do What We WantEmery The Columbus EEP TheeEmpire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) When The Sea Became A GiantThis is a very consistent and well-plotted release that is likely to whet a listener's appetite before listening to the band's full length material. Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) On Time Spent WaitingEmpire! Empire!'s magic has certainly not run dry. This EP shows a bright future for the band, despite it not being their best. The vocals are on-point and moving, as always, and the guitar noodles along as proficiently as ever before. The band seems to condense their talents a bit for the shorter song lengths, though. That can be a great downfall of the entire experience.Enter Shikari Take to the SkiesDespite its inconsistent quality, the tracks are cohesively great for the most part. The electronic side of the music is surprisingly enjoyable and not too overdone, though it is certainly not subtle. The vocals are amateur, but they work well with the emotion of the album. It all seems too familiar without the bells and whistles, though...Eric Clapton SlowhandFACT burundangaFall Out Boy From Under The Cork TreeFalloch Where Distant Spirits RemainFamily Force 5 Business Up Front, Party In The BackFat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt Counter/TransferenceFilter Title Of RecordFlagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the DilapidationFor Today ImmortalFurther Seems Forever The Final CurtainFuture of Forestry TwilightGenesis DukeThis album deftly blends pop-rock and classic progressive into its sound and forms a strong and emotional performance. However, the elements are stifled by the album's weak middle section, only to end on a heavily progressive note. The band sems.confused on the album and torn between two worlds that they don't meld together throughout the entire duration of the album, but it generally results in well-crafted musical pieces.Gifts From Enola From FathomsGin Blossoms New Miserable ExperienceGirl Scouts thanksalotWith its slick production and vocals that actually aren't THAT bad, Girl Scouts shows that they are an emo band with some true class. They don't break any molds with this offering, but they sure work well with the genre.Godspeed You! Black Emperor 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!It may not be the perfect comeback, but GY!BE prove that they still have it and are very much still great heads of the genre of post-rock. The album's first half can be frighteningly dull, but the rest erupts into extreme beauty. "We Drift Like Worried Fire" may be their magnum opus.Good Weather for an Airstrike This Is As Good a Place As AnyGrant Kirkhope Perfect Dark OSTPaying homage to old spy flicks and pairing those elements with a fresh, industrial sound, Kirkhope manages to make a nice soundtrack. The music has a great variance of moods and tempos, but suffers from not being memorable enough. There are no songs that can stand on their own, rather only as background music. A great shot nonetheless.Gungor Ghosts Upon the EarthHalf-Handed Cloud Halos & LassosHands CreatorHarvey Pekar Thirty GhostsHaste the Day Burning BridgesHeart on My Sleeve Stand by, We're Going In For LifeHeaven Shall Burn In Battle...Here Lies a Warning FrontiersCould be a great contender to compete for the top spot in the UK's growing underground metalcore scene.Hope Of The States The Lost RiotsHorde Hellig UsvartHot Water Music Never EnderHot Water Music really knows how to pluck a few hearstrings with their emotional delivery of post-hardcore. This compilation is proof of that, though it's not the best in their discography.I Built The Cross Bridging the Gap Between Heart and MindI Kill Giants FinestkindsI Kill Giants Let It OutIcon For Hire ScriptedJars Of Clay Good MonstersJars Of Clay If I Left The ZooJars Of Clay Redemption SongsJars Of Clay Much AfraidJars Of Clay The Long Fall Back to EarthJimmy Eat World Chase This LightJob for a Cowboy RuinationJob for a Cowboy may not be the most interesting of modern death metal bands, but they show that they can rock really hard while maintaining enough control to keep one interested long enough. This album is a great example of their enjoyable brutal sound.John Murphy 28 Days Later SoundtrackJohn Reuben Word of MouthJoliette Convertirse En AguaJosh Garrels Love and War and The Sea In BetweenKamelot SilverthornKekal 1000 Thoughts of ViolenceA multifaceted release filled with impressive musicianship and incredible attention to detail. The oddities that it so brazenly exhibits work to the album's favor, despite them often becoming annoying. Killswitch Engage Disarm the DescentLa Dispute VancouverLa Dispute Here, Hear. IILackthereof Christian The ChristianA minimalistic and electronically-driven album thay can trip itself up in its ambitionsat times, but redeems itself in unique vocals and great lyrics. "Christian the Christian" is startingly fresh when it is on point, and shows off a great sense of lyrics from an expected provocateur.Liveride Mystery of the WoodsLiving Sacrifice Death MachineLizards Have Personalities In All HonestyLuti-Kriss Throwing MyselfMcLusky McLusky Do DallasMemphis May Fire ChallengermewithoutYou Catch For Us The FoxesProvocative and well-made, but there are plenty of holes that mewithoutYou still needs to fill to make a greater, more consistent album. All the songs sound the same and the vocal production can often be very annoying. The lyrics are beautiful and the music is generally good, though.Misery Signals MirrorsMisled Miracle Oh Boy, Here We Go!Missive Not a Minute Goes ByMixtapes Even On The Worst NightsIt all sounds exactly the same, but there is an undeniable element of fun that Mixtapes offers that many other bands of their type seem to do.Mortification Scrolls of the MegillothMy Brightest Diamond A Thousand Shark's TeethFrom the haunting notes of the beginning to the end, this is definitely one enjoyable and melodramatic album. The operatic vocals and musical stylings are sometimes overbearingly drawn out and muddle the overall product. Even still, My Brightest Diamond proves to avoid a sophomore slump well.My Chemical Romance Number OneMy Chemical Romance has definitely lost their direction over the years, but this two-song episode in a series shows that they have not quite yet lost their touch completely. With these two anthem-like and hard-hitting power pop tunes, there is much fun to be had.My Chemical Romance Number ThreeMy Chemical Romance Number FiveMy Chemical Romance Live And RareMy Chemical Romance The Black Parade: The B-SidesMy Epic Broken VoiceMy Heart to Fear Lost Between Brilliance and InsanityMy Heart to Fear throws a strong album into the chug-a-chug fray that holds forms of uniqueness in subtle ways, despite its lack of overall variety. The strong instrumentation and the creativity within its presentation is refreshing a most times, but embarrassing at times as well. The harsh vocals are on point, but the cleans are far too layered. A well done and surprising EP.Neal Morse LifelineNeon Horse Neon HorseNew Found Glory Tip Of The Iceberg EP and Takin' It Ova!Norma Jean O' God The AftermathNorthstar Is This Thing Loaded?November Coming Fire Evocation 7"Nuclear Summer Nuclear SummerO' God the White Whale Never Knows BestOh, Sleeper When I Am GodOld Gray Everything I Let Go & The Things I Refuse ToOld Silver Key Tales of WanderingsIt's better than Alcest's "Souvenirs," that's for sure. The cohesion between post-rock and shoegaze-esque metal forms a great bond that creates plenty of interesting moments, as well as plenty of boring ones.Owl City Ocean EyesParabelle AirParamore Brand New EyesPerished SeidPig Destroyer 38 Counts Of BatteryPoison the Well Tear From the RedPolemarch A Static FutureProject 86 ...And the Rest Will FollowProject 86 Rival FactionsRammstein Liebe Ist Für Alle DaRed End of SilenceRetox Ugly AnimalsRetox's sound harkens back to the angry punk bands of the 80s and 90s, and they do this very well. They bring in heavier influences as well to create an interesting hybrid of sounds to create an enjoyable and somewhat unique album.Rites of Spring Six Song DemoSacriphyx SacriphyxSay Anything Anarchy, My DearSense Field BuildingSent By Ravens Mean What You SayShikari Robot WarsShowbread No Sir, Nihilism Is Not PracticalSithu Aye CassiniSkillet Alien Youth"Alien Youth" easily contains the more consistent material of Skillet's brief and now-obscured industrial era.Snapcase Bright FlashesSnapcase had nothing else to prove. Their time as a band came to a close with this great album that has some interesting covers and B-sides. No matter how far they may get from their original sound, it seems like they always have the ability to put their own spin on what they play and please any fan.Soundtrack Star Fox 64 SoundtrackLack of variety and extensive creativity can hold a lot of this otherwise wonderful soundtrack back. Kondo makes an interesting and simple soundtrack that fits the moods in which they are set and have high replay value, except it can blend together after a while.Stahlhammer Killer InstinktStavesacre How To Live With A CurseStrongarm The Advent of a MiracleStrongarm proves how strong they really are with this powerful hardcore album that grabs you and doesn't let go. The tracks here are wonderfully heavy and the lyrics are inspirational, but the grating vocal style can be a bit over the top at times. Also, the repetition can prove to be an annoyance. However, this still is a fun early hardcore album.Studying SophomoronicIt's nothing extraordinary within the sudden 90s emo revival popping up on the East Coast, but this sure is a very emotive and well made addition to the scene. The songs explore youth with a cynical yet affectionate eye eye, and the instrumentation can suffer from slight pretention at times but is usually point. But why is everything so sad?Studying Songs About Leaving HomeThis is probably the most dramatic offering by Studying, and the results are great. From the stupid but warm-hearted emo lyrics to the driving guitar, the short album is enjoyable through and through. However, Studying's material is marred by some flaws: tending to go nowhere and resting on extreme emotion for seemingly no reason.Taake Over Bjoergvin Graater HimmerikTaking Back Sunday Where You Want To BeTed Nguyent Pizza and RegretA silly and almost pointless, but promising, release.Terence Trent D'Arby Introducing the Hardline...TesseracT "Nocturne" is an excellent song. I feel like this TesseracT went in the same direction as The Contortionist did on "Intrinsic." They begin to focus on their ambient and atmospheric sound, but most other elements fall by the wayside. With that being said, the songs are still beautifully cerebral and mostly enjoyable to listen to. Also, their new vocalist is the best so far, despite the massive amount of tracks on his voice.The Ataris So Long, AstoriaThe Benjamin Gate ContactThe Brothers Chaps Strong Bad Sings (and Other Type Hits)The Chariot Wars And Rumors Of WarsThe Color Morale My Devil In Your EyesThe Devil Wears Prada With Roots Above and Branches BelowThe Devil Wears Prada Dear Love: A Beautiful DiscordThe Devil Wears Prada Dead ThroneThe Dillinger Escape Plan Miss MachineThe Dillinger Escape Plan Irony Is a Dead SceneThe Echelon Effect Season Part 2The Elms Big SurpriseThe Elms show that they can bring back the 60s, and with style. The songs don't sound much different as far as pace and tone goes, but the tracks are very finely made.The End Of The Ocean In ExcelsisAfter the first track, the album loses its luster, but maintains a nice post-rock sound. The songs are epic and moving, but they lose steam about halfway due to extreme repetition. However, The End of the Ocean shows that they could soon take over the modern post-rock scene, and easily.The Gaslight Anthem American Slangthe GazettE DivisionThe Ghost Inside Get What You GiveThe Glorious Unseen LovesickThe Haxan Cloak The Haxan CloakThe Myriad With Arrows, With PoiseThe Reptilian Full HealthIt never seems to break free from the same song structures for long enough to make a huge impact, but it surely how's how The Reptilian are a unique and fresh addition to the emo scene.The Sawtooth Grin PervavorA well done grindcore EP that touches on many interesting rhythms and riffs that can become a bit overbearing at times. The musical passages are geniusly broken up by fleeting melodic moments that make up for the times it becomes boring, but not enough to make it stand out too much. This is still a great effort, for what it's worth.The Speed of Sound in Seawater Red VersionMusically genius, but annoying otherwise. TSoSIS does a great job of rekindling the early styles of math rock and emo in a suprising way, but the vocals and lyrics on the forefront of the product are just too ugly. The lyrics are often gut-churningly stupid and needlessly wordy. All of the jazzy tendencies form the memorable parts of this album.The Streets A Grand Don't Come For FreeThe Streets The Hardest Way To Make An Easy LivingThe Weepies Be My ThrillThe World is a Beautiful Place And... Whenever, If EverThis release has been a LONG time coming. It is both fulfilling and disappointing in many ways. The atmospheric aspects of TWIABP's sound are displayed gracefully here, but maybe too overbearingly at times. Cohesion is sacrificed for post-rock buildups and climaxes, so there is a lot left to be achieved. Though this has many beautiful moments, I have a hard time truly holding a few songs and truly understanding where they are going. I was hoping for more of a culmination of all the elements that the band had shown in the past. Still, this is another enjoyable installment in their discography.These Branches BeliefsThrawsunblat Wanderer on the Continent of SaplingsAn intriguing and well-balanced new black metal band. Th album is a bit overrun by unnecessary, filler moments, but its theatrical can work to its advantage and creates a great debut.Title Fight Floral GreenThis takes balls. Title Fight reignites the punk of the past. with a melodic edge and makes a winning album that can suffer from extreme repition when it's clear that it has the ability to think outside of the box. Another thing to note is that the album turns from fast and fun to slow and thoughtful almost flawlessly. It will definitely catch the listener off guard, but this may or may not be for the best.Touche Amore/Pianos Become the Teeth SplitBoth songs are great, but they couldn't be more different in mood and pace. These songs simply do not belong next to one another on the same EP.Training For Utopia Technical DifficultiesThis compilation proves that TFU is a smart and chaotic band, but also has many hits and misses. They seem to be best in smaller doses.Transient We Do Not Lose HeartTTNG AnimalsTTNG 13.0.0.0.0Twelve Gauge Valentine Shock ValueTwelve Tribes The Rebirth of TragedyA great slab of raw, bare-boned metalcore. It suffers only from a generally weak second half that becomes confusingly aimless.Valencia This Could Be A PossibilityVampire Weekend ContraThe high-scale, college indie pop band is back and does well at avoiding the mistake of trying to do a complete about-face after the success of their previous self-titled record. The songs can be underwhelming and rushed at times, but their whimsy is still alive as it's ever been.Verwustung I First Saw You On That Snowy Night And Vigilantes of Love Welcome to StrugglevilleWar of Ages Pride of the WickedA generic, but fun, metalcore release. There is a nicely-determined balance between breakdowns and old school riffs. WoA prove to e very mature on this album, and it makes one hope that it could have followed into their later albums, as well.We Butter The Bread With Butter Der Tag An Dem Die Welt UntergingWe Came As Romans To Plant A SeedSurprise! A (slightly) unique metalcore album in the Rise Rec--- ahem... I mean, Equal Vision catalogue!White Collar Sideshow White Collar SideshowThere's not much else like this album. Being a percussion-driven project, there shouldn't be much else involved, but somehow WCS incorporates so many subtle and interesting elements into this dark and disturbing journey that make for a great listen. It may wear on the nerves on a bit and meander aimlessly at times, but it still proves to be an odd creation that can't help but attract the majority of ears, if not only for a track or two.Year Long Disaster Year Long DisasterZao (Self-Titled)Zao Parade of ChaosZao Zao/Training for Utopia SplitZeromancer Sinners InternationalZeromancer gives the listener a synth-laden approach to industrial metal that is extremely entertaining. Throughout the span of the songs on the album, the vocals and synth loops are particularly interesting. As with most industrial albums, though, it has tendency to wear thin after awhile.3.0 good...And The Earth Swarmed With Them The Fading Voice of the Old Era Speaks to Us, But38th Parallel Turn the TidesThis might be Linkin Park's greatest album. Don't let the poor production value fool you! Though it's fairly generic for its time, there's a powerful statement to be found throughout its running time. Also, the lyrics lack the cheese that a lot of Christian nu-metal had. It's fun for what it's worth.A Girl, A Gun, A Ghost Through the Eyes of AhabA Thorn For Every Heart Pick Up The PiecesAbandoned Pools The ReverbA fun EP with quality tunes, but it can lack the passion that Tommy Walter is known for having in his clean power pop. This EP takes some more time to slow down and think rather than forge ahead and take a hold of the mainstream pop-rock world.ActionReaction 3 Is The Magic NumberAges Sleep On ItAlcest Souvenirs d'un autre MondeAn album that tries to hard to be beautiful. There is little to no musical subtlety to behold here, so it makes for a somewhat shallow approach to atmospheric black metal/post-rock. The album is by no means bad, just tiring and very overdone. The theatrical sound only benefits the album for so long before it becomes stale. The instrumentation and beautiful lyrics (and vocals) save it from falling too hard.American Football American Football EPThis small collection of songs doesn't rightfully represent the band's material as a whole. It proves to be a humble beginning, but not much seems to be achieved here. Moments are enjoyable, but there is little to no variation whatsoever. But the moments that work well generally outweigh the negatives.Apart Love Is Not EnoughArrows/Empire! Empire! SplitAs Blood Runs Black AllegianceWBRB is not nearly as brutal or technical as their name makes them sound, but they can sure make a good album. They present a straightforward and heavy collection of tracks that make for a fun time, but fall victim to generic pitfalls thay wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the band's "BR00TAL" facade.As They Sleep DynastyAs same-sounding and relentlessly heavy as it is, "Dynasty" offers a heaping amount of powerful moments. However, it can't get over an ever-present sense of showiness in the vocal and drum department that weigh down the majority of the tracks. As They Sleep do not prove to be among the most controlled of death metal bands with this effort, but it passes as a good release still.August Burns Red Lost Messengers: The OuttakesHow did some of these ot make the album? One must ask themselves this question when listening to some material here. The songs are outtakes that are fortunately released to the public. Some are jokes and are simply filler, but others are geniunely well-made. A surprising collection from a consistently great metalcore band.August Burns Red Sleddin' HillABR dips their feet in the post-rock pool and offer some interesting moments, but nothing is quite as beautiful as any rendition of classic Christmas songs should be. The original compositions thrown in are good, but nothing extraordinary. The band shows how they can be versatile enough to create a good and well-structured album under instrumental circumstances, though none of the members seem to be in their most creative moods.Author and Punisher Drone MachinesAuthority Zero 12:34This band does nothing to "go against the grain," but there are enough classic punk moments to give the release a nice feel, but nothing incredibly memorable.Avenged Sevenfold Sounding the Seventh TrumpetAvenged Sevenfold City of EvilIt awkward production cannot go unnoticed and A7X is obviously trying their hardest to be something that they aren't. They are still some great songs on moments on here, though. The effort is solid, but the product is a bit inconsistent.Ayreon The Human EquationBarenaked Ladies Barenaked Ladies Are MenBNL does even more self-exploration with this release and diversifies a lot because of it. The album produces the light-hearted qualities they have always possessed, but falls short of its full potential at many turns. The music focuses on old school rock more than the other releases and both good and boring material can come from it. All of the pieces fit well enough on the surface, but it can tend to wear thin after a few runs.Barenaked Ladies Born on a Pirate ShipThe whole album feels very lightweight, even for a BNL album. This is both its strength and its weakness. The songs are fun, but less musically complicated than on "Gordon." Nothing on here is a complete stand out, but it is enjoyable still.Beirut The Flying Club CupBilly Joel An Innocent ManBloc Party IntimacyBloc Party FourEverything I wanted it to be. Bloc Party is really experimenting with their sound. Except, there's a problem... This is probably the most inconsistent, yet still decent, release of 2012. There are high points that soar, but the low points make you wonder why they came this far to change their ways. It's interesting enough, for what it's worth.Blue October FoiledJustin Furstenfeld's deeply personal lyrics hold so much weight that it seems almost embarrassing to have such mediocre music behind them. The album wants to touch on very musical style of the last ten years and becomes confusing, but the talent is surely there. A good release, but it falls short of so much, it can become frustrating to listen to.Brand New Deja EntenduBrand New DaisyBrand New is beginning to bite off more than they can chew. The genius in "The Devil and God..." seems to still be exciting to them, because it seems like they are trying to use those same elements on this album. It rarely works in that regard and turns out to be fairly pretentious. However, there are a handful of fine tracks.Brave Saint Saturn So Far From HomeBring Me The Horizon SempiternalBurials Tired ArmsBurzum HliðskjálfBy Surprise CriteriaA twinkle-less emo effort that features hooky riffs, classic rock swagger... but that's it. however, it's fun enough for an entire listen and memorable enough to hold some weight in the emo world.bygones Spiritual BankruptcyCapsule [US] BlueSometimes its unjustified edginess gets in the way of the truly enjoyable melodic hardcore to be experienced here.Celldweller Wish Upon A BlackstarCenturies Apart MalachiCephalic Carnage Halls of AmentiChelsea Grin Desolation of EdenChunk! No, Captain Chunk! Something For NothingChunk! No, Captain Chunk! Pardon My FrenchCoheed and Cambria From Fear Through the Eyes of MadnessThere seems to be a sense of confusion in Coheed and Cambria's sound that wants to push to be as diverse as possible, but nothing happens. This grandiose album puts on a mask for the majority of its running time and attempts to convince the listener it was born in the 1970s. They are not strong enough to be completely progressive in every song though it seems like that is their intention. The result is an inconsistent collection of songs that hits hard when it makes something of itself but doesn't always prove to be a modern masterpiece.Coheed and Cambria The Afterman: DescensionCrossbreed Synthetic DivisionDaighila HenceforthDefeater Empty Days and Sleepless NightsDevin Shelton Life And DeathDIR EN GREY Withering To DeathDiscover America PsychologyA fun exploration of minimalistic rock that can be a bit on the boring side at times, but Chris Staples has the uncanny ability to keep you interested, whether it be his refreshingly boring voice or his puzzling lyrics.Dishwalla Pet Your FriendsA handful of good tracks exist here but it does no prove to be any sort of competitor to the other alternative rock outfits of the 90s. The intriguing lyrics and great vocals are pluses, but the rest is only slightly above average.Dowsing All I Could Find Was YouDrudkh Songs of Grief and SolitudeDrudkh MicrocosmosDrudkh Handful of StarsEmery ...In Shallow Seas We SailEmmure Goodbye to the GallowsEmo Side Project The End of SomethingEmpire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) Year Of the Rabbit 7"Empire! Empire! shows their (even) softer side with these two songs that don't prove much of the band's excellent abilities, but are good listens nonetheless.Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) Empire! Empire! 2-Way SplitBoth bands slow down a bit to show their most sensitive sides, and the result is good, but suffers from an overly languid pace. The voice on Arrows' vocalist is mesmerizingly beautiful and Empire!'s songs are usual fare for the band. Nothing new here, but fun to listen to.Every Time I Die Gutter PhenomenonFACT FactFACT Eat Your WordsFair to Midland Arrows and AnchorsFair to Midland keeps wanting to be something that they're getting closer to, but are showing no signs of becoming any time soon. The term "progressive" can be slapped on the band's collective forehead easily and it comes in handy in this musical outing. But does that in turn label it as interesting. Parts are engaging, but just like their previous full-length, the blood runs dry in the music's veins quick when too many elements are incorporated at once. They're inching closer to a fully-bloomed sound, at least.Falling Up Dawn EscapesFalling Up MnemosFamily Force 5 Dance or DieFireside Do Not TailgateFlagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation KakuseiFlogging Molly SwaggerFoxing Old SongsA patience-testing album that often meanders. However, the Mineral-esque pace leads to great climaxes that may not be dynamic enough to keep one interested for long, but Foxing proves to be a band with a good enough sense of control to create a slightly above-average modern emo EP.Frank Klepacki Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun SoundtrackFrodus Soundlab 1Funeral for a Friend Casually Dressed & Deep in ConversationFurther Seems Forever Hide NothingGallows Death Is BirthAfter Gallows lost their original lead singer, views on the band's future was unclear. They prove here that they aren't that far gone quite yet. The weak lyrics and generic hardcore punk sound are sure thorns in the album's side, but it is a genuinely enjoyable, albeit extremely flawed, affair.Good Weather for an Airstrike A WinterGrinding Halt SprookjeshofGym Class Heroes As Cruel As School ChildrenHacktivist HacktivistHandguns AngstHaste the Day DreamerHawk Nelson Smile, It's the End of the WorldHeavy Heavy Low Low Hospital BomberHelios MoietyHello Saferide Would You Let Me Play This EP 10 Times A Day?Hollow-Eyed WoolgatherA good, albeit overambitious, folk-rock project that is intriguing overall, but wears thin upon further examination. The odd instrumentation and styles are a marvel to behold, but the great hinderance of Hollow-Eyed's sound is that it just doesn't come together all that well. There are too many stuttering moments that make the EP fall short of sheer folk genius, or at least something near that.HORSE the band Desperate LivingThis frightfully inconsistent effort from one of metalcore's most unique bands comes off bland at first and has great patches that outweigh the negatives. The release just doesn't hit enough highs to completely erase its mistakes. HORSE the Band is very talented, and they display that readily here, but they just need to slow down and add more structure rather than eccentricities.iamerror Trout YogurtImbroco Are You My Lionkiller?In Flames A Sense of PurposeIndian Summer Science 1994Major creativity points to Indian Summer for pretty much creating the emo scene, but the experimental aspects of their sound wear thin after a while instead of making me want to dive deeper. It's not a failed work of art at all, just underdeveloped... and far overrated.Jimmy Eat World Stay on My Side TonightJowls CursedJoy Electric The Otherly OpusJoy Electric is almost frustrating. The music is far too layered and may make the listener feel downright claustrophobic, but the songs can be just so good at the same time. Ronnie Martin's complicated yet somewhat simplistic approach to electronica explores all sorts of textures and sounds that combine to make an enjoyable, though VERY repetitive, album.Kamelot Ghost OperaKekal The Habit of FireKevin Max Between the Fence & the UniverseLa Dispute Here, HearLa Dispute Winter Tour Holiday CD-RLizards Have Personalities Snows of KilimanjaroMae (m)orningMae offers their most ambitious effort yet and hits the point oftentimes, but forgets to slow down at other points. They made biting off more than they could chew an art here. Their sound and lyrical content is fully intact as it has always been, but there's just too much filler that doesn't need to exist.Mainstay Well Meaning FictionMayhem DeathcrushIt's all a bunch of tremelo-picked riffs and lo-fi recording, but this revolutionary EP (of sorts) is musically enjoyable nonetheless.Memphis May Fire SleepwalkingmewithoutYou It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's allMxPx The Ever Passing MomentMy Chemical Romance Three Cheers For Sweet RevengeMy Chemical Romance Number TwoMy Chemical Romance Conventional WeaponsNai Harvest Ceiling SummerNeon Horse Haunted Horse: Songs of Love, Defiance and DelusioNihilists Hold Onto Life With Tooth and ClawNorma Jean The Anti MotherNorma Jean MeridionalO'Brother Garden WindowOld Gray DemoP.O.D. Payable on DeathPacifist Everybody Loves FunParkway Drive Killing With A SmileDancing very close to the average line, Parkway Drive's debut is a monstrously aggressive yet meandering effort. Its boyishly angry lyrics and predictable riffs become common trends from track to track. With that being said, there are a few standout tracks and moments that hold the album together.Party Like Thieves The Surrender E.P.Pig Destroyer Book BurnerPxDx wants to be young again. The songs on this album are either super grindy or super riffy. And few of them exceed two minutes in length. Are they going back to basics? This is far from the quality presented on their previous albums, but it is still enough to slightly satisfy and fan such as myself.Placebo B3Project 86 Picket Fence CartelRadiohead Kid ARadiohead becomes even more experimental on "Kid A." Thom Yorke needs to be chained up at times and know his limits, though, because his spurts of genius can be a bit overwhelming. The musical style can feel far too crowded and jagged to the point of uncomfortable listening. The Eno-esque ambient passages married with signature Radiohead-style guitar are what rule this album.Rammstein RosenrotRed Until We Have FacesRoadside Monument I Am the Day of Current TasteAh, math rock. This album showcases lots of good and bad of this cryptic genre. Roadside Monument proves that they can make a cohesive song for a little while based off of simple guitars and vocals, but it can be a bit of a grind.Saxon Shore Luck Will Not Save Us From A Jackpot Of NothingThis EP seems to serve a just a collection of rough drafts for songs yet to be completed. Saxon Shore has the ability to even make THAT sound interesting. There isn't a lot to examine here except for the gentle glimpses of beauty we get from each track, despite some out of place synth melodies.Shawn Phillips Second ContributionDon't let the warm voice fool you. This album is often very generic and offers little to nothing to the folk scene of the time. The majority of its musical moments are enjoyable, but often overdone. Donovan and Gordon Lightfoot want the reins back, I'm sure.Showbread Age of ReptilesSigh In SomniphobiaSleeping With Sirens If You Were a Movie, This Would Be Your Soundtrackslick shoes Wake Up ScreamingSlow Coming Day Farewell to the FamiliarNothing new is explored here within the emo genre, but Slow Coming Day offers a nice package with this album. The simple guitars and rhythms can be a bit disappointing but the meaningful lyrics and vocals bring it all to a new level and save the entire album from being only average.Snapcase StepsSociety's Finest The Journey So FarSoilwork Sworn to a Great DivideSoul Embraced Dead AliveState Faults Head in the CloudsIts strong lyrics and well-produced sound can't mask the fact that this band runs low on ideas quickly, but displays them as if they were much bigger than they are. The post-rock and post-hardcore elements don't blend as often as they do just exist individually. A good, but overambitious, offering.Symphony in Peril Lost Memoirs and Faded PicturesSIP presents a cool mix of hardcore and metal elements but has a considerable amount of trouble keeping it well put-together. The music is fun and far from generic, but just too all over the place to have a well enough handle on it as a listener. Shawn Jonas' signature vocals are amazing, as well as his masteeful lyrics.System of a Down System of a DownTangled Thoughts of Leaving Tiny Fragments - EPTera Melos Idioms, Vol. 1The Apples in Stereo New Magnetic WonderThe Birthday Massacre Hide and SeekThe Birthday Massacre makes another album of the same, mostly. Their whole sound is becoming quite old, too. However, this has its moments and proves that the band has not lost their signature flair yet. With some new electronic approaches, the album shows some progress, but can otherwise become dull at times.The Chariot Music Of A Grateful HeartThe Classic Crime AlbatrossMoments give glimpses of glory, but as a whole, "Albatross" is uninspired. The life the album has lives in its inspirational and well-written lyrics sung with passion-drenched vocals, but that's just about it. It's worth a full listen a few times.The Contortionist IntrinsicThe Devil Wears Prada PlaguesThe Dillinger Escape Plan Ire WorksThe Dillinger Escape Plan PlagiarismThe Echelon Effect Seasons Part 4Too predictable to be effective, but this single track has its moments.the GazettE DIMThe Ghost Inside Fury And The Fallen OnesThe Juliana Theory LoveThe Locust Plague SoundscapesIt's certainly not BAD grind, but it seems to be filled with air more than anything else. It's spastic moments of electronics and blast beats paired with silly lyrics are fun but it doesn't seem to go much of anywhere.The Promise Ring Wood/WaterIt's nothing like their earlier material, but this underrated album is often forgotten amidst the rest of TPR's success. There is little to no presence of loud, driving rock guitar that was in their emo days, but rather a sense of self-examination through calmer means. The result is certainly mixed, but good overall.The Right Wing Conspiracy Give War a Chance!The Right Wing Conspiracy Separation of God and StateThe Sawtooth Grin Cuddlemonster"Cuddlemonster" is definitely a grind album, but it only scrapes the surface of what grind can be. TSG is on target in terms of musicianship, but the repetition and stupid lyrics get in the way of a great experience. We need some funny grind bands, and maybe the band will fit that bill, but I can't see them as much more than that.The Smashing Pumpkins OceaniaThe Smashing Pumpkins Pisces IscariotA collection of mostly decent B-sides and outtakes for hardcore fans only. There are too many that sound the same, which is nothing new for Smashing Pumpkins, but they lack any substance after a while. However, there are moments that tie the entire product together well enough to make it mildly interesting.The Smashing Pumpkins ZeroA good collection of songs that lack the punch of usual Smashing Pumpkins fare. The vocal production and mixing is awkward and rigid in most cases, but the songs usually end up decent in the end.The Speed of Sound in Seawater Blue VersionThe Story So Far What You Don't SeeIt's fine, but definitely nothing new or all that interesting. Its ugly, kick-drum heavy production can be looked over to show that there are many solid songs on here.The Tupolev Ghost The Tupolev GhostThe Tupolev Ghost does nothing to break out of the melodic hardcore mold, and that is not neccesarily a negative trait of theirs, but it renders the album somewhat disappointing. The emotions and melodies hit bull's-eyes, but the rest falls behind and the tracks suffer great from that.The War on Drugs Slave AmbientThe Welcome Wagon Welcome to the Welcome WagonThese Branches Split w/ Cycle SchmeichelThird Eye Blind BlueThousand Foot Krutch PhenomenonThursday War All the TimeWith its abundance of off-key vocals and emotional lyrics, "War All the Time" is delightfully off-kilter at first, but descends into a same-sounding trend that will easily wear on one's nerves after the first few songs.Thy Art Is Murder HateImpressive, but overproduced and too breakdown-centric. The album begins to lose traction and tries to pedal forward, but loses momentum due to its sheer homogeny. TAIM shows that they have some talent behind them for sure, though (despite some awful guitar solos).Tiger Lillies Punch and JudyEngland's unique, shock-cabaret trio really goes for the throat with this album and forgets all musical trends within the last 80 years and creates an intriguing musical journey. It can be humorous, but often very annoying as well as lyrically disgusting. "Punch and Judy" surely isn't half bad, it just needs more thought put into it.Tindersticks The Hungry SawTindersticks' music hasn't changed much over the years, but it hasn't soured yet. This melancholy (as always) album is a good example of chamber pop with a hint of depression added. The songs drone on after a while and may lull the listener to sleep, and they don't contain as many interesting elements as the band's earlier material. A good listen otherwise.Touche Amore Live On BBC Radio 1Touche Amore releases a pointless yet enjoyable in-studio performance EP. A nice performance.Touche Amore/The Casket Lottery SplitBoth bands here create enjoyable and fun songs (even the usually depressing Touce Amore), but none of them hold enough substance to be remembered as some other recent emo splits have been.TTNG Adventure, Stamina & AngerUnohdettu Tulevaisuus Unohdettu TulevaisuusPushing the limits of powerviolence and grind, UT makes a very short but entertaining collection of songs that spans enough variety to be enjoyed, but doesn't leave too much of an effect afterwards.Veil of Maya EclipseVerwustung Tunnel GhostsViraemia ViraemiaWe Butter The Bread With Butter Das Monster Aus Dem SchrankWidek Aurora BorealisWorld Downfall 6 TrxIt's nothing new to grind, and it seems more like a tribute to Terrorizer that borders on parody than a real musical effort. Still good enough for a listen.Zao Awake?2.5 averageAlfheimr What Allows Us To EndureAlkaline Trio Agony and IronyA legendary pop-alt-punk group descends painfully into mediocrity. Though this is album is a gross disappointment compared to their previous outings, there are a group of some fun tunes. The overall result is generally ineffective.As I Lay Dying An Ocean Between UsAsking Alexandria Reckless and RelentlessA surprising improvement from a band that seemed truly hopeless. This is an emotional and gut-churning barrage of truly meaningful lyrics, but the music and over-ambitious vocals still prove to be major setbacks that draw the attention away from the more interesting lyrical aspects involved.Author and Punisher Ursus AmericanusVery innovative, but the execution is often nothing but headache-inducing.B.o.B The Adventures Of Bobby RayBecoming the Archetype Terminate DamnationDespite its powerful lyrics and vocals, all of the brutal elements feel so forced and slickly produced to the point of confusion. It's hard to see where the album is headed and it lacks the cohesive structure that its melodic death metal predecessors accomplish so well.Being As an Ocean Dear G-dBAaO shows promise in their ideas, but the execution is far less than exciting or memorable. Though the album has its moments and its lyrics offer great messages, the themes grow tiring and the genres they try to combine just get muddled somewhere throughout. The album seems to meander more than it does accomplish much of anything.Beloved Failure OnBicycle Sunday Remnants of Past LivesThe languid pace that harkens back to emo bands of the 90s is not the problem here. The music is just awfully unadventurous and devoid of emotion because of it lacking so much. It's all been done before...Brian Eno Small Craft on a Milk SeaBring Me The Horizon There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen ItBurials The HauntingChevelle This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)Chevelle Stray Arrows - A Collection of FavoritesWhere is "Letter from a Thief"? That's probably my favorite song in all of the band's history! This is one sloppy compilation.Chiodos Bone Palace BalletCopeland Beneath Medicine TreeNo standout tracks or fresh styles here. Just a mix of indie pop sensibilities and pop-rock moments. Yawn-worthy, for the most part.Corrosion of Conformity BlindCradle of Filth The Manticore And Other HorrorsDarkthrone Soulside JourneyDarwin Deez Darwin DeezDavid Gray White LadderGray's multi-instrumentalism can be intriguing at first, but he does not create much more than a sleepy adult alternative album with few standout moments.Deftones (Like) LinusThis is the beginning of one of the greatest American bands of all time, and it sounds atrocious. But leaving the demo-tape sound quality behind, the album has enough fun to offer, but doesn't seem to establish much of anything that can be made out as a foothold for the band to gain leverage on. Not all great bands start out great, but this one is just too mediocre.Demon Hunter The World Is A ThornDemon Hunter misses far too often with this album that intentions are muddy. Is it trying to widen DH's genre spectrum by incorporating different styles into the mix or is it just a step closer to mainstream success with more generic-sounding tracks? It's hard to say, but much of it is not nearly as pleasant as their other work.Destroy The Runner I, LuciferDoes It Offend You, Yeah? You Have No Idea What You're Getting YouIt becomes clear a few songs in that DIOYY is trying their darnedest to be unique but it's just not working out amidst all the silly things they do. The synth, dancy pop songs can't save this slightly lackluster album from mediocrity. That being said, "I Regret To Inform You" is a wonderful marriage of the elements their sound try to combine on the other tracks.Eels Beautiful FreakA lazy pop album disguised as an alternative masterpiece. This has lots of radio-friendly tracks and attempts to be emotionally gripping, but nothing here is exciting.Emarosa RelativityFACT In the Blink of an EyeFair to Midland Fables From a MayflyThis is yet another case of modern progressive bands trying to be TOO progressive. The album's full of inconsistencies, patched up by pretentious attempts are creating a diverse listening experience. With that being said, some tracks are really solid. But overall, FTM proves that they may not be all that they make themselves out to be.Gnaw Their Tongues Eschatological ScatologyGods I See You Through GlassHot Water Music The New What NextI'm ok. Fuck EverythingWhiny lyrics and annoying vocals (even for the emo genre!) dont' make an interesting record. With that said, there are plenty of well-composed musical pieces, but they can't make up for the x factor that the album lacks and suffers greatly from it.In Flames WhoracleIn Flames doesn't show that they are much more than just another Gothenberg band. This album does not steo out of the box at all and the vocal approach of alternating netween whispers and harsh screams is annoying. No matter how much variation the songs bring, they cannot escape the painfully boring nature the album exudes. A weak musical attempt from a band that has abilities much greater than the ones displayed here.In Sepia In SepiaInnards I've Lost EverythingThis album suffers immensely from a "rough draft" syndrome: all the songs suffer from an unfinished type of feel. The short song lengths is not the only thing that causes it to hurt, but also the messy math rock passages in the song that just don't fit. This album is an overall disappointment, but has a few good moments.Isis Wavering RadiantJawbreaker Dear YouKilling Joke Killing JokeKillswitch Engage Killswitch Engage IIAn awfully uninspired album by a band falling apart in slow motion.Len You Can't Stop the Bum RushLowtalker The MarathonLifeless and derivative, Lowtalker makes an unexciting punk release that has no flair to it. It focuses more on older influences to present its sound, but it doesn't acheive many more interesting things like that.Make Them Suffer NeverbloomProps to these guys for really trying to make symphonic deathcore a genre, but it just doesn't work well enough here to hold up for the entire 45+ minutes that it lasts. There are interesting elements, but they never converge smoothly.Meat Loaf Hang Cool Teddy BearMy Chemical Romance Number FourWith the same old chip on their shoulder, MCR releases two more songs in the "Conventional Weapons" series that are by far the weakest. The band rests on the power pop sound of the other albums but with a more swinging 60-70s rock sound that is downright campy when mixes. An ineffective and very mediocre release.My Fictions AlwaysHeavy and fast, but bland. My Fictions doesn't show that they have the ability to break out of the general impression of hardcore bands and make a very typical and boring album with few highlights. if they continue down this road, they will be completely forgotten soon.Napalm Death DiatribesIt's not so much the fact that Napalm Death had drastically changed their sound with "Diatribes," but the real problem is that the band feels far too out of their element and releases a boring, generic album. It has some great, groove-centric riffs and pounding drums, but it never adds up to more than a plea for airplay. The vocals are awfully monotonous and not nearly as memorable as the earlier installments in Napalm Death's career.Oh, Sleeper Children of FireOld Gray Old Gray & Girl ScoutsA dull and lifeless attempt at more great emo tracks from two bands on the rise. Neither of the bands seem to be at their best here and neither song packs enough punch to listen to all the way through. The instrumentation and lyrics here are just too boring to pay attention to, despite some interesting ideas and moments.Pantera The Great Southern TrendkillPele The NudesPig Destroyer Mass & VolumeAn odd change for PxDx. I hope they don't continue in this direction after this experiment. "Red Tar" is great towards the end, but all of the album preceding that point is just messy, droney garbage. They could have tried a little bit harder to make it interesting.Pillar Where Do We Go from HerePillar proves that they can't be much more than a generic rock band, despite their great abilities. There seems to be a lot being held back here, and the treble-heavy production makes the entire listening experience annoying. The uplifting lyrics can sometimes be the savior here.Pity Sex Dark WorldPlacebo MedsProject 86 Songs to Burn Your Bridges ByPurity Ring ShrinesRelient K Relient KRelient K's baby stage must certainly be humiliating for the band, but weird for the listener. The album is full of harmless and wholesome pop-punk, but it can feel frustratingly lifeless. The energy is there, but not applied to the music enough to be a wholly enjoyable listen.Sarcofago I.N.R.I.Satyricon Dark Medieval TimesSecret And Whisper Teenage FantasyThis is almost as confusing as teenage life itself can be. The overly wailed vocals and high-pitched guitars team up and plow their way through the whole album, muddying everything else around. Moreover, the stupid lyrics cloud up any real meaning, though they occasionally make for great poetry. There is plenty of talent in the band, it's just buried beneath a huge mess. Good songs exist on this album, but most are throwaways after one listen.Shai Hulud That Within Blood Ill-Tempered"I hate everyone because everyone hates me" might as well be blatantly expressed in every song. This extremely inconsistent metalcore offering presents oddly-metered music that become too hard to follow and disgustingly misanthropic lyrics (although, Shai Hulud would convince you that these morals are "positive"). There are a few good tracks, but the immaturely angry lyrics and over-layered vocals just rub the ears the wrong way. Grossly overrated.Sigh Scenes from HellSkillet InvincibleSkillet makes a surprisingly lackluster industrial album that starts and ends with a bang but doesn't hold much value inbetween.Soul Coughing Ruby VroomSufjan Stevens A Sun CameThis debut seems to be a cavalcade of unfinished ideas, and not much else. The songs are boring and, despite the interesting Celtic influence in many of them, become annoying due to Stevens' overly whispered vocals. This is certainly not a great way to start out without the Danielson family with him, but there are a few glimmers of hope.Sufjan Stevens The Age of AdzThere's too much going on here. There's too much, too much, too much, too much.Sullivan Cover Your EyesSystem of a Down Steal This Album!After a while, all of the genuinely interesting elements that SOAD has to offer begin to become expected and they all mush together. No song on here is outright enjoyable, just decent.Tally Hall Good & EvilThe Appleseed Cast The End of Ring WarsThe Classic Crime VagabondsLet's be honest, TCC spoiled us with "The Silver Cord." They seem to aim for making a more stripped-down and emotional record but this is not achieved nearly as well as it seems like they tried to do. The repetitive lyrics are well-written, but aimless and the music is hit and miss. Not what one would expect after "The Silver Cord."The Early November In CurrentsThe Fashion The FashionThe Right Wing Conspiracy Alternate WorldTRWC can't escape its gimmicky shell well enough to create an album that can be taken as seriously as it desires to be. Cool riffs, though. But this "fastest blast beats in the world" drum machine crap has got to go.The Showdown Back BreakerThe Streets Everything is BorrowedThousand Foot Krutch The Art of BreakingUlver BergtattAtmospheric, yes. Interesting, yes. But this album just simply does not hold enough weight in its entirety. There are plenty of interesting moments, but the ridiculously overproduced nature of the whole becomes annoying and the whole thing goes downhill. The instrumentation is decent black metal fare and the clean vocals are very annoying. A let down with some strong points, but not enough to save it from all of its shortcomings.Vita Bassa Vita BassaVomitorial Corpulence Skin StripperIts poor production actually works against this grind album, oddly enough, and the vocals are awful. However, there are some fun grind riffs here.We Came As Romans Understanding What We've Grown To BeWCAR spends too much time trying to make every moment catchy and chuggy and forget to make things mildly different. This is far inferior to their previous full-length due to its simply annoying moments that prove how the band is trying to hard to be something they don't have to be.Weezer MaladroitWilco Summerteeth2.0 poorAbove the Graves Excess InfinitumI've heard far worse from high-budget studio albums.Above the Graves Life/DeathAbove the Graves A.S.I.M.A.Sheesh, guys. He's not THAT bad. At least, I don't think so......Aeterna Tristitia Now and ForeverAlfheimr Dream SequencesGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!Anberlin CitiesFar too polished, same-sounding, and occasionally cheesy. Extremely overrated.Anberlin Dark Is The Way, Light Is A PlaceAttack Attack! Someday Came SuddenlyNow, here is an album that tries to combine genres but just doesn't quite have the chops to proficiently do so. The songs can be catchy and the electronic aspects can be genuinely interesting at times, but when combined and with awful vocals thrown in, the album turns into a one-note disaster.Barenaked Ladies Maybe You Should DriveAfter the consistency of "Gordon," Barenaked Ladies shake off all of their good qualities to make an incredibly messy and generally dull album. The band seems to attempt an about-face by creating more straight-forward rock tunes, but fails and goes nowhere.Bicycle Sunday Nothing's All RightBrian Eno Panic of LookingBush The Science Of ThingsChelsea Grin Chelsea GrinChevelle Hats Off to the BullDarkthrone The Underground ResistanceDie Aerzte Runter mit den Spendierhosen, Unsichtbarer!Pop-punk has a tendency to be mediocre, but this is just boring. Die ?rzte's sound is just too typical to make any waves and the songs are not memorable or enjoyable as pop-punk should be. Stale and devoid of fun, this is almost sad to listen to.Duck. Little brother, duck! Survival Is Not a WorkoutOut of the heap of early 90s emo/math revival bands going on right now, DLBD proves to be one of the ones easiest to forget. The melodies try to hard to be unconventional despite their bland sound and the vocals become annoying rather than nostalgic. There are a lot of areas for improvement here. Many of the over-long "progressive" song structures don't cover the mistakes up for too long.Editors In This Light and On This EveningEmmure The Complete Guide to NeedleworkEvanescence The Open DoorFall Out Boy Save Rock and RollThe Paramore syndrome kicks in. Both Paramore and Fall Out Boy have sacrificed their uniqueness for poppy, contrived trash this year. The problem isn't in the albums' poppy-ness, but rather its homogenous and annoying tracks. A frustratingly annoying album from an otherwise solid band.Fear Before The Always Open MouthA mish-mash of ideas gone awry. The album is frustratingly obsessed with being odd as opposed to musically enjoyable. It's an overload of noise that generally amounts to zero. The vocals and some interesting melodies are the only saving graces of this album that is otherwise a waste of time.Flyleaf Memento MoriForty Fathoms In/FamousThe album that forgets to be interesting and goes for the balls that it doesn't have.Funeral for a Friend HoursFurther Seems Forever Penny BlackThe music is only average (albeit same-sounding), but the whole thing is marred by Chris Carraba's over-produced, robotic vocals. If he can't sing like he used to, that's fine. At least it would be a raw product. It is almost insulting to a dedicated fan to see a product like this be put out. It all seems very half-hearted. I can't say that this was the reunion and comeback I was expecting.Gnaw Their Tongues The Blotched and the UnwantedA Merzbow-esque approach to black metal that is often just too muddied by unnecessary noise to make out any discernible musical phrases.Good Weather for an Airstrike SignalsMae (a)fternoonThis unexpectedly uneven and boring release puts a thorn in Mae's star-studded legacy. There is virtually no sense of direction here as the band wanders amateurly through a mess of half-baked progressive elements. The album doesn't ever come to a climax but rather trudges on and on and on......Maruta DemonstrationHorribly confused grind. Are they grind, or are they doom metal? Are they metalcore, or are they sludge? I have no problem with bands changing styles throughout an album, but this is too much within its short running time of only about 5 minutes!Meshuggah obZenIt's become clear that Meshuggah has completely lost their way. They seem bent on capitalizing on the heaviness in their songs and billing it as technical. I don't care how far they have to stretch their fingers apart to hit a chord or how diverse their drummer is. It just does not come together for me at all.Mose Giganticus Gift HorseMutemath ArmisticeMxPx PokinatchaThis confirms my main annoyances with punk. The vocals, the lyrics, the wretched blandness of it all. MxPx does nothing to change this for me in this album. The riffs are obnoxious, the bass can have its stand out moments but it is otherwise inaudible, and the vocals are plain awful... even for punk. The tight drumming is one of the few saving points.My Chemical Romance Danger Days: The True Lives of...One Hundred Year Ocean Poison SmoakA sleazy representation of wasted youth with very few interesting musical elements.Orgy CandyassParamore ParamorePicasso Trigger Fire In the Hole!Porcupine Tree The Incidentpswingset All Our False StartsA terribly boring emo release that lacks any real emotion.Secrets The AscentA dull album that refuses to deviate from any norm.Showbread CancerI didn't expect this for a minute. This album is a well-intentioned mess. Showbread has flexed their experimental muscle in the past and very well, but they don't seem to know what they're doing here. The lyrics are exceptional as with most of their work, but the repetitive and unnecessarily quirky music is annoying and frustratingly shallow. The first track is stellar, but the rest are sheer let-downs.The Devil Wears Prada Dead & AliveThe Handshake Murders Essays on the Progression of Man:What Time and ...A dull EP that attempts to be exciting through its spastic and "complicated" rhythms, but fails helplessly. Thank God it's in a small dose. The vocals in this EP are awfully hoarse and are not stylistically tasteful in any way. The repetitive breakdowns become annoying and uninspired. Not a lot of saving graces here except for how unconventionally entertaining it can be at times... VERY FEW times.The Smashing Pumpkins Machina - The Machines of GodAn overlong musical mess. Corgan puts all his heart into a meandering and cold project that seems to have no dynamic changes or signature Pumpkins flair. It makes one wish for the old days. The Smashing Pumpkins' weakest album for sure.This or the Apocalypse Dead YearsHow is this anything different than the rest of all the other metalcore bands out there? I had faith in TOtA due to their previous releases, but this is substandard for me. They seemed to abandon their old school metal guitar edge and make an overdone and generic album that goes nowhere.Uaral Sounds Of Pain...A very contrived and overdone album that far too often indulges in style rather than substance.Walls of Jericho RedemptionZao All Else FailedRarely do I ever care more about the intent or reason for an album than I do here. ZAO, the band that brought insanely influential albums to the public in years past, remakes their own songs just to show how much their new line-up is faring. Not only that, but it was all a ploy to receive money to get by. They do not accomplish this nearly as well as the original line-up performed it! The album has its moments, but it generally hurts to see a band to do something as low as this.1.5 very poorAsking Alexandria Stand Up and ScreamBehold... The Arctopus HorrorscensionUh-huh. So I'm expected to believe that these guys know what they're doing. Okay, it's not THAT bad, but it's nearly impossible to find anything remotely enjoyable or interesting about this album in any way shape or form. Not only does the music seem completely random most of the time, but it doesn't even satisfy in a contemporary sense due to its ugly musical nature.Better Music Magnvm OpvsBetter Music Modern Progressive MusicBetter Music Better AlbumCromagnon OrgasmAn annoying album that only could have been made in the 1960s. Chanting and unintelligible tribal lyrics abound, this mess of songs is sloppily compiled and is quite honestly never fun to listen to.Emmure The Respect IssueInsane Clown Posse The Mighty Death Pop!There is dark humor, interesting musical moments, and occasionally meaningful lyrics, but ICP still doesn't seem to be able to bring anything real to the table. It's all artificial and it seems like the album in its entirety is a plea for the olden days. The needlessly violent content becomes tiresome and annoying and the rhymes and flows are often embarassingly lame. There are some misty-eyed moments, but they cannot outweigh the trash on the other side of the scale. There are few forgivable things about this album.Merzbow VenereologyAn orgy of vomit-inducing noise. Only thing interesting about this album is how it was even created so shamelessly.Slipknot SlipknotA criminally over-rated and disgustingly angry, messy, and ugly debut. Slipknot aims for aggressiveness at very turn and nails those marks well but accomplishes literally NOTHING else. The awful album offers no variety and a terribly over-done rhythm section that is prided throughout the band's history but is ultimately obnoxious. Terrible, just terrible.Systematic Pleasure to BurnIt's far too often painfully uninteresting, but also ridiculously generic. The songs dip into self-parody at some points, using obsolete hard rock tricks to attempt to create an agressive record, but nothing works out. This is the first album that I have literally run over with my car. I seriously did.The Act of Estimating As Worthless Amongst These Splintered Minds//Leaden ThoughtsAnnoying, cutesy, shallow college folk that never goes anywhere. The only good track is the first, then it goes off the deep end FAST.The Delicious Bread Collection Tales from the Yeast SideNot a fan.............................................................................1.0 awfulBetter Music Phibble's SneegEmmure Felony
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