'13 Favorites/needs More Listens/disappointments
Lots of goodness released this year. Some I liked immediately, others took
more time to win me over and some still haven't and probably won't.
Overall I think 2012 was better but here ya go: |
| 1 |  | Anciients
Heart Of Oak
Favorite album of the year! This and VHOL's ST came out on the same day and
while I was looking forward to that album more considering the personnel, this one
won me over. Looking forward to the future of this band. |
| 2 |  | Queens Of The Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
2nd favorite! |
| 3 |  | Voivod
Target Earth
Took a few listens but I finally came around. Their best in a very long time. |
| 4 |  | Secrets Of The Sky
To Sail Black Waters
Impressive debut. |
| 5 |  | Agrimonia
Rites Of Separation
Can thank Grim Kim for this one. |
| 6 |  | A Sun That Never Sets
Solaromancy
Local boys doing good things. |
| 7 |  | Exhumed
Necrocracy
Keep getting better and better. |
| 8 |  | Carcass
Surgical Steel
Best reunion of the year. Easily. QOTSA doesn't count. |
| 9 |  | VHOL
VHOL
As mentioned, I ultimately liked Anciients' debut better but this still is awesome.
Again, local boys (and girl) doing good things. |
| 10 |  | Extol
Extol
Didn't know much about this band before this year but was pleasantly surprised by
this album and their entire discography. |
| 11 |  | Tomahawk
Oddfellows
Saw them 2 nights in a row for my birthday this year. Great times. Great album. |
| 12 |  | Earthless
From The Ages
Had been wanting to get into this band for a while and finally (thankfully) did when
this was released. |
| 13 |  | Kvelertak
Meir
Not as good as their debut but still tons of fun. |
| 14 |  | Intronaut
Habitual Levitations
Took several spins but it finally clicked. Hard. |
| 15 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
One Of Us Is The Killer
Never been a huge fan but this album is pretty great. |
| 16 |  | Polkadot Cadaver
Last Call in Jonestown
Solid and consistent despite it being all over the place musically. |
| 17 |  | Coliseum
Sister Faith
Like Earthless, had been meaning to get into them for a while. Glad I did. |
| 18 |  | Doomriders
Grand Blood
These guys seem to get better with each album. |
| 19 |  | Black Crown Initiate
Song of the Crippled Bull
Came from out of nowhere and floored me. Sweet! |
| 20 |  | Black Tusk
Tend No Wounds
Kept hearing that this was a stopgap of the same old-same old. Maybe...but hell yeah! |
| 21 |  | Mutoid Man
Helium Head
Had no idea this band existed until a few weeks ago. This is the Cave In offshoot
I've been waiting for! |
| 22 |  | Celeste
Animale(s)
Slept on this for too long. Would probably be higher if I had heard it earlier. |
| 23 |  | The White Mandingos
The Ghetto Is Tryna Kill Me
My favorite rapper joins a punk band? And it's good? |
| 24 |  | White Widows Pact
White Widows Pact
Stumbled on this EP over at MetalSucks. Good shit if a little dated. |
| 25 |  | Bolzer
Aura
Real heavy. Real good. Full-length, please. |
| 26 |  | Opul
Personnel
This, along with 'The Assailant', where two great but different EPs from East Of The
Wall's Matt Lupo. Keep up the good work, dude! |
| 27 |  | Enabler
Flies
They also released 2 EPs this year. Both good but not as good as last year's release. |
| 28 |  | Soul Pie
Battling Mountains
More local boys doing good things. Got to know their music very well as I helped
them with all their video stuff this year. |
| 29 |  | Hypocrisy
End Of Disclosure
Solid. |
| 30 |  | ASG
Blood Drive
This album probably took the most tries to get into. I liked all the elements but it
didn't coalesce until recently. |
| 31 |  | Deafheaven
Sunbather
While I like this album, I don't want to suck its dick like most people. Yet again,
local kids doing good things. |
| 32 |  | Lord Dying
Summon The Faithless
Cool debut. |
| 33 |  | Mammoth Grinder
Underworlds
Fun shit right here. Want to go see them with Exhumed next month. |
| 34 |  | O'Brother
Disillusion
Nice! 'Parasitical' is the jam. |
| 35 |  | KEN Mode
Entrench
Really interesting stuff. Hadn't paid much attention to them until this year. My
mistake. |
| 36 |  | Red Fang
Whales And Leeches
I really want to like this band more than I do. They almost everything. I'm not sure
what it is they're missing. Solid if uneventful album (as usual). |
| 37 |  | Skeletonwitch
Serpents Unleashed
Best since 'Permafrost.' |
| 38 |  | Sepultura
The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart
I have loved this band for so long, I will always check out their next album. Derrick
takes too much unwarranted shit. Good album by a good (once great) band. |
| 39 |  | Noisem
Agony Defined
I liked this more the first time I heard it. Still good but pretty same-y. Slayer
worship at its best. |
| 40 |  | Kataklysm
Waiting For The End To Come
Best since 'In The Arms Of Devastation' for sure. |
| 41 |  | Windhand
Soma
Not much of a doom fan but this grabbed me pretty hard. Would be higher but I
saw them live recently and it was kinda boring. |
| 42 | | Mephistopheles
Sound Of The End
Heard great things about this band. Soild album if a bit hard to get into at first. |
| 43 |  | Yeah. Sure. Whatever.
Through The Heart
More locals making music. I worked on video projects with this band as well this
year. After hearing their demo I was underwhelmed but the final product sounds
great. |
| 44 |  | Steak Number Eight
The Hutch
This band has such a dumb name, I almost didn't check it out. Glad I did. Very
promising. |
| 45 |  | Nails
Abandon All Life
Rages hard. Can't wait to see the live set this Friday (opening for Exodus). |
| 46 |  | Power Trip
Manifest Decimation
We now arrive at the albums that I need more time with. I am loving this album but
just started listening last week. |
| 47 |  | Steven Wilson
The Raven That Refused To Sing
I find his solo stuff hard to penetrate but ultimately rewarding. Still not enough time
with this. |
| 48 |  | Vastum
Patricidal Lust
So far, so good...and filthy. |
| 49 |  | Russian Circles
Memorial
Only heard it twice all the way through. |
| 50 |  | Pelican
Forever Becoming
Good but I liked their last album better. Needs more spins. |
| 51 |  | Fallujah
Nomadic
Like this band but find it hard to get into their stuff. |
| 52 |  | Zozobra
Savage Masters
Good but nothing standing out yet. Maybe nothing will. Remains to be seen/heard. |
| 53 |  | Cables And Arms
Excessive
My co-worker's band's debut EP. Not big on post hardcore but this is cool. Only
heard a few times through. |
| 54 |  | Howl
Bloodlines
Better than the debut but still not grabbing me despite liking aspects here and there. |
| 55 |  | Orchid (USA-CA)
The Mouths Of Madness
Even more local dudes. Good throwback shit but haven't listened enough. |
| 56 |  | Entrails
Raging Death
Cool, solid death metal. That is all. |
| 57 |  | Inter Arma
Sky Burial
Everyone is creaming themselves over this. I like parts but feel like it drags at
times. I must be missing something so I'll dive back in again soon. |
| 58 |  | Amon Amarth
Deceiver Of The Gods
Like Red Fang, I want to like them more than I do. They just don't stand out. This
album is solid but unspectacular. |
| 59 |  | Scale The Summit
The Migration
The won me over a few years ago with their live set. That said, I still can't seem to
get into their records. |
| 60 |  | All Pigs Must Die
Nothing Violates This Nature
Angry stuff. Need to listen more cuz the first few when in one ear and out the other. |
| 61 |  | Autopsy
The Headless Ritual
See Amon Amarth/Red Fang. |
| 62 |  | Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats
Mind Control
More throwback goodness that has yet to grab me like it has others. |
| 63 |  | Deltron 3030
Event II
Love the first one from like 10 years ago. The first few spins of the sequel were
good but unmemorable. |
| 64 |  | Gorguts
Colored Sands
Why is this not clicking yet?! It will. Right? |
| 65 |  | Death Angel
The Dream Calls For Blood
Liked the last one just a little better. This is DA treading water. Maybe more will
reveal itself on repeated listens. |
| 66 |  | Soulfly
Savages
Like DA, this is Soulfly treading water. |
| 67 |  | Big Business
Battlefields Forever
So far, so good but only listened twice. |
| 68 |  | Gatheist
Hold Me... But Not So Tight
Same as Big Business. |
| 69 |  | Tidal Arms
Tidal Arms
Would probably be higher if it was released earlier in the year. Liking a lot after 2
listens. |
| 70 | | Summoner
Atlantia
Same as Tidal Arms. |
| 71 |  | Church Of Misery
Thy Kingdom Scum
Never heard of them until this year. Need to listen more but liked this a lot at first. |
| 72 |  | Primitive Man
Scorn
Same as Church Of Misery. |
| 73 |  | Beastwars
Blood Becomes Fire
Same as Church Of Misery and Primitive Man. |
| 74 |  | Obliteration
Black Death Horizon
Same as Church Of Misery, Primitive Man and Beatwars. |
| 75 |  | In Vain
AEnigma
Taking a couple listens but cool so far. |
| 76 |  | Haken
The Mountain
Same as In Vain. |
| 77 |  | East Of The Wall
Reaction Artifacts
Only heard a few songs so far but I know this will grow on me like their other albums. |
| 78 |  | Voices (UK)
From The Human Forest Create A Fugue Of Imaginary
Pretty damn cool but only listened twice. |
| 79 |  | Take Over And Destroy
Endless Night
Same as Voices. |
| 80 |  | Clutch
Earth Rocker
Same as Voices and TOAD. |
| 81 |  | Krimh
Explore
Same as Voices, TOAD and Clutch. |
| 82 |  | Semantik Punk
abcdefghijklmnoprstuwxyz
So weird! But so...enticing. Must listen more. |
| 83 |  | Oranssi Pazuzu
Valonielu
Now we've reached albums that disappointed me this year. In some cases, this
doesn't mean they are necessarily bad albums but they just didn't live up to
expectations. 'Valonielu' is one such album. Kept hearing amazing things but found
it boring and pretentious. |
| 84 |  | Sandrider
Godhead
Another album that is good but didn't live up to what I was hoping for. THeir debut
kicks so much ass I was hoping this would do the same. It does to some regard but
only about 80% as much. |
| 85 |  | The Ocean
Pelagial
Another good but ultimately underwhelming release. I love this band but I can't get
past Loic's harsh vocals sometimes. The instrumental doesn't hold up on its own
either. Good but not noteworthy. |
| 86 |  | Jungbluth
Part Ache
Really liked their debut EP. This album I found boring. |
| 87 |  | Mindless Self Indulgence
How I Learned to Stop Giving A Shit and Love MSI
I don't know why I expected this to be good. I got over this band many years ago. |
| 88 |  | Sodom
Epitome of Torture
A bit of a snorefest. |
| 89 |  | Melvins
Everybody Loves Sausages
Cover albums are usually lame but if anyone is going to make an interesting one,
it's the Melvins. While parts a definitely interesting, I'm not digging it. Haven't even
bothered to check out their other album from this year. |
| 90 |  | Morality Crisis
Boats
Absolutely loved their debut. This is a step down but still listenable. I think the
whole thing is ruined by a joke track to start things off. Silly shit but f'real? |
| 91 |  | Alice In Chains
The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
AiC going through the motions. |
| 92 |  | Leprous
Coal
'Bilateral' was one of my favorites a year or so ago. 'Coal' is good and innovative
but it isn't grabbing me much. |
| 93 |  | Havok
Unnatural Selection
My fault for expecting amazing things after Time Is Up. Hopes were too high to be
met. Still a fun album. |
| 94 |  | Svart Crown
Profane
Their last album was better. |
| 95 |  | Revocation
Revocation
This album is super fun, don't get me wrong, but it just didn't blow my wig back like
their other albums. |
| 96 |  | Chimaira
Crown Of Phantoms
Like MSI, I'm not sure why I was expecting this to be good. It's not out-right bad,
just nothing special. |
| 97 |  | Kylesa
Ultraviolet
I think I'm the only Kylesa fan that didn't like this. I don't think they'll ever top
'Static Tensions.' Maybe this will click one day. |
| 98 |  | Nine Inch Nails
Hesitation Marks
Pretty boring. I always want to like a NIN album all the way through but that almost
never happens. |
| 99 |  | Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Used to love 'em. Now can't be bothered. |
| 100 |  | Palms
Palms
This was one of my most anticipated albums of the year. I don't hate it but I don't
like it either. This album puts me to sleep. Goodnight. |
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