October 2016 resumé
October was the only month in which I almost completely forgot to listen to new music, therefore it is the shortest round-up list. But I promise that that won't happen again. However, knowing myself, it will happen again, a lot. And knowing you, you don't even read any of those. Most likely nobody really reads those lists. If you've wandered into this list it's probably because you like to click on random lists or you like to click on the Top lists. And definitely none of you read the description. But, if you do and you've read it all to this moment, leave a sentence "I like your big hairy cat, mate." in the comment section, it helps with my crumbling self-esteem.
This is no best-of list, it is just a bunch of records I've heard, that were RELEASED this month. Not the ones I've heard this month, but ones that were RELEASED this month that I've heard. Therefore, as the time goes, I'll be adding more items on the list, since I listen to stuff constantly. By the way, the names occasionally written under the comments are titles of songs that I recommend. If there are none written, it's either because I didn't like enough of them or because I can't point out a highlight. And now a score guide: 10/9 - 5; 8 - 4.5; 7 - 4; 6 - 3.5/3; 5 - 2.5; 4 - 2; 3 - 1.5; 2/1 - 1 |
| 1 |  | White Lies
Friends
I've been very apologetic of this band and I seem to keep on doing it. Despite the fact that this time they are even keener to emphesise the presence of synthetisers. An act that I'd normally turn my back to. But this is White Lies, a band who's always tried to push their sound to even bigger stadium-sized outreach. So yes, I've found my guilty-pleasure of the year and I'll jam the living crap out of this one, despite the fact that it is now simply a Synthpop infused Pop-Rock. I still enjoy it, goddamn! 7/10 P.S.: Yeah, White Lies are with their sound basically The Killers now...or Keane (and if you see how their sound was changing from album to album, you can recognise the distinct similarities between the bands)
Hold Back Your Love, Is My Love Enough, Summer Didn't Change A Thing, Come On, Don't Fall |
| 2 |  | Kings of Leon
Walls
An album that is mediocre at best. Though you pretty much get exactly what you would expect from Kings Of Leon at this point. (and yes, I do understand that it is basically exactly the same as that White Lies album...man, I'll probably get a lot of shit for that one.) 5/10 |
| 3 |  | Balance and Composure
Light We Made
This album has almost all the potential to become the blandest Rock album of this year, but beware, the competition is tough. 4/10 |
| 4 |  | Male Bonding
Headache
Male Bonding pull off a good Indie Rock revivalism that unfortunately suffers from its own style. It is just plain irritating to listen to at times. 6/10 |
| 5 |  | Solange
A Seat At The Table
It seems that Solange is Beyonce's less prolific, but ultimately better sister...oh, she is? 7/10 |
| 6 |  | American Football
American Football (LP2)
Although it is the same band, it just seems to me that everything on here is just a blatant rip-off of something much older and much more interesting (It's quite ironic that they're called American Football, if you know what I mean). At this point even that Green Day album had much more energy. 4/10 |
| 7 |  | Green Day
Revolution Radio
Honestly, I was ready to absolutely despise this record. Not that I particularily wanted to, I just thought that I will. I've never been all that much into Pop-Punk to begin with, so I can't really pan this album for being too commercial (as many say), because I don't have that much experience with the genre to judge. So I was ready to hate on this not because I hate Green Day, but rather because the album will make me. With that said, this album ain't that bad. It does have its flaws. Like the cock-rockish sameness does get to your nerve and the lyrics are cringeworthy (as always). But overall I think that I don't mind this record at all. 5/10 |
| 8 |  | Uniform
Ghosthouse
COMPLETEFUCKINGINSANITY. This year was rich on fantastic Industrial Noise Rock albums, but only now do I fully realise that I actually love this genre. 8/10 |
| 9 |  | The Wayward
Plutonic
One of the ugliest and most off-putting records this year. The Low quality production and the paralysing instrumentation only make the whole experience even more disgusting, dizzying and overall...well, unique. However, my biggest issue with the album are the vocals. I suppose they were meant to capture the disgusting essence of the album, but they end up feeling simply bad. 7/10
Railway, Sandstorm, Pluck, Sheet Metal, Wooz, Obliques |
| 10 |  | Weyes Blood
Front Row Seat To Earth
This album will strike you with an oou-of-this-world ambrosial blissfulness (and as the title suggests that out-of-worldlinessis on its way to conquer the Earth...gently). As if the mood of Have You In My Wilderness (and yes, I am now comparing every single heavenly-sounding Folk album to that one) was floating among the clouds with some sort of sleepy careless gratification. If heaven exists, this album is the gateway. 8/10
Diary, Used To Be, Do You Need My Love?, Generation Why, Seven Words, Front Row Seat |
| 11 |  | Unreqvited
Disquiet
It's gotta be quite bad for you as a musician when you try to make people depressed with your music and almost succeed, but then they burst into laughter the moment those awful screams at the background show up, ones you try to sell as vocals. 5/10 |
| 12 |  | Swet Shop Boys
Cashmere
Swet Shop Boys definitely have a lot going for them, but the aspect of this album taht was a real letdown to me was the delivery. There's just something off in their flow. 6/10 |
| 13 |  | Dance Gavin Dance
Mothership
This year I've decided that I need a tradition to follow. I decided to dedicate every following year to the genres that I tend to dislike and through the magical powers of randomness (ironically, it's exactly how I'd describe this band's music) I picked Progressive Rock/Progressive Metal for the first year of my new annual year-long habit (for the next year I feel something like R'n'B or the Nightwish-y Symphonic Metal). The way it works is that I listen to a horde of high-rated albums of the said genre and try to find some that I like (And there have been some already like The Dear Hunter or Orbs). The problem I've had with Prog is that it always seemed to me so repetatively non-distinct from one another. Well, now I can say for sure that I found something different. Not good, but different. I suppose that can be regarded as...well, Progress. Still, this is no good at all. It is every signle Prog album recorded amidst someone's spasmic psychotic breakdown. It gave me a headache. 3/10 |
| 14 |  | Mannequin Pussy
Romantic
An album that sets off to present a series of rapid Indie Lo-Fi tracks with a strong 90s Punk-ish vibe, but ultimately has nothing much to offer beyond the obvious sendback. 6/10 |
| 15 |  | Zaum
Eidolon
This album has all the appeal of Psychedelic Stoner-Doom, but none of the substance (and the interludes drag out for way too long). 6/10 |
| 16 |  | Hail Spirit Noir
Mayhem In Blue
One of the most uniquely sounding and sinister Metal records this year. Each song is different and yet they all have some shared demonic spirit, you could almost say that it's...noir. It's not that this is heavy as hell or particularily insane in its approach to make it unusual to listen to, but it is amazingly creative with its sound and song structure. 9/10 |
| 17 |  | Khemmis
Hunted
Muddy and sort of epic Metal. On paper this band's material sounds fantastic and I can se myself enjoying. But in reality, they have yet to hit the right note with me. For one, the vocals are off and the songs are not exactly memorable either. But still, the album is heavy and engaging. 7/10 |
| 18 |  | Mono
Requiem For Hell
Mono (and Post-Rock in general really) are at this point the Call of Duty, Michael Bay or cigarettes of music industry. It never changes, no matter whether whether whether good or bad, it doesn't improve. It just keeps on releasing new products every now and then, each having exactly the same formula. Some might enjoy it nevertheless. I do. 6/10
P.S.: I was thinking about writing a mock-review in style of Don Draper "Why I'm quitting Post-Rock". |
| 19 |  | Mouth of the Architect
Path of Eight
This album has some guts...it just shows them once every ten minutes. 6/10 |
| 20 |  | Jagwar Ma
Every Now & Then
Jagwar Ma deliver an extraordinarily underwhelming album without any particular direction. Agreed, it is just a sterile Indie Pop, but one that has all the potential to be worthwhile. It is not in the end. The songs feel extremely flat and boring, despite the upbeat and genuinely refreshing music. I couldn't even point out a song that would in any way stick out to me, because they all just sort of dissolve in the overall mediocrity. 4/10 |
| 21 |  | Leonard Cohen
You Want It Darker
I had no intention of listening to this, but now that he died I guess it is an obligation. And I must admit that it is really dark (ironically). It seems to have a lot of lyrical themes about death and loss, though it approaches it much more straight-forwardly than Blackstar (seriously, these sorts of albums are becomming a cliché now, just Iggy Pop didn't die after the release, lucky bastard). Leonard's vocals are plain and deeper than hell, the music is almost church-like and the lyrics, as I said, are quite dark, but still holding a certain irony within. All-in-all it is a really good record that however sounds just like another Leonard Cohen album without much new to offer. Leonard swings through the pretty compositions, all in one key, with his devilish voice and makes you slightly depressed for a couple of moments. 7/10 |
| 22 |  | King Dude
Sex
Though this album is promoted as Americana Country, it is really a Lo-Fi Post-Punk with somewhat Folk-y vibe and mood, and it sounds great. Though it occasionally pulls form the Joy Division playbook mashed with Johnny Cash-like attitude, doing a tribute to Nick Cave, though it tries to go bigger and wider with its sound. 7/10
UPDATE: After multiple later revisions, I've come to a conclusion that this album is not just good, but indeed fantastic. Although I still think that the clash of sounds on here (meaning the times, when the music goes from low-key Folk to straight out aggressive Post-Punk) are quite rough around the edges, the songs themselves don't suffer from that and I grew to love this album more and more (especially Our Love Will Carry On, that was a hell of a track, dammit). 8/10
Who Taught You How To Love?, Our Love Will Carry On (!!!), Swedish Boys, Prisoners, Shine Your Light |
| 23 |  | Toy
Clear Shot
A pretty nice Alt Rock album with a strong sense of 90s revivalism. However, the vocals really kept me from enjoying the record all the way. 6/10 |
| 24 |  | Ulcerate
Shrines of Paralysis
This album is a friggin' brutality-bloodfeast. However, to me personally it sounded a bit too mechanical and samey. The vocals are too growly for my taste and the instrumentation (as I said) sounds too washed out and by-the-numbers. Still, it is a ruthless and over-the-top fun record. 6/10 |
| 25 |  | John K. Samson
Winter Wheat
John K. Samson delivers a somewhat enjoyable easy-listening Folk-Rock that has very low energy and not that interesting song-writing. However, what it lacks in composition it tries to make up for in the lyrics. And it's mostly hit than miss in that aspect. 6/10 |
| 26 |  | Sleaford Mods
TCR
If Blur got stuck on a loop while recording Parklife (the song). 4/10 |
| 27 |  | Myrkgrav
Takk og Farvel; Tida er Blitt ei Annen
I do appreciate the effort, but it's just not that interesting to me. The folk-inspired Metal with really odd vocals is something I am yet to get into. 6/10 |
| 28 |  | Crying
Beyond The Fleeting Gales
Though there's a lot to admire on this album, I found myself generally disinterested a lot of the times. Though admittedly, the instrumentation, the Lo-Fi production and slightly odd song-writing are all intriguing features. There's just something that kept me away from enjoying the record. Maybe the vocals, maybe the tunes just didn't always leave much of a mark and at times felt quite obnoxious. Anyhow, as I said, there's still a lot to admire on here. 6/10
Patriot, Origin, Children of the Wind, The Curve |
| 29 |  | The Naked and Famous
Simple Forms
Way too simple forms. 5/10 |
| 30 |  | Archive
The False Foundation
This album has a lot of enjoyable elements to it, there's nothing particularily outstanding about it, but there isn't anything that would make you hate it either. It's just a perfectly okay Trip-Hop/Electronic album that just exists for the purpose of existing. And whoever likes this sort of music will like this one too. 6/10 |
| 31 |  | Kylver
The Island
Kylver provide us with a set of explosive and heavy-riffed Stoner-Sludge Prog tracks that for the most part manage to suck you in on their instrumental virtuoso perfection, but ultimately fail to impress anyhow beyond that in any sort of memorable way. 6/10
Monolith starting with 2 minute mark |
| 32 |  | Helado Negro
Private Energy
Helado Negro's calm mix of cosmic exploration and blissful humanity is created by the immense instrumentation that truly captures the out-of-worldly essence this record is going for perfectly. This might be Helado Negro's most joyful record to date. 7/10
P.S.: Damn, I got all Pitchfork-y on this one.
Tartamudo, Runaround, Transmission Listen, Personas Facil, We Don't Have Time For That |
| 33 |  | Tanya Tagaq
Retribution
Best off-kilter Weird-Rock record this year, undoubtedly (sorry, John Congleton). Listening to this makes me feel like I watch a few tribal wildlings performing music of their culture with modern day instruments (and one Hip-Hop track...for some reason). 7/10 |
| 34 |  | Black Marble
It's Immaterial
I like the light weight and the sensual tenderness of the record, but the production makes the record sound like if you were listening to it through a really bad stereo. 6/10 |
| 35 |  | Anciients
Voice of the Void
Anciients definitely deliver on heaviness and brutality, but the record doesn't seem to go in any particular direction. Some tracks are more melodic, some delve into pure heaviness, some interpret a bit more by-the-numbers style. The songs just float one after another and they do sound great and are indeed enjoyable, but there's nothing much particularily extraordinary about them. They're just good tracks, that's that. 7/10 |
| 36 |  | Obscure Sphinx
Epitaphs
Obscure Sphinx deliver an ultimate fans-of-the-genre pleaser. On Epitaphs you'll find everything you could ask for on a Post-Metal record. Booming instrumentation (dominated by shrieking echoic guitars), vocals that jump from screaming to falsetto, and as acherry on top an overblown crescendo-led atmosphere. Yum! 7/10 |
| 37 |  | Conor Oberst
Ruminations
A beautiful acoustic album with Conor's typically poetic and heartfelt lyrics. I don't have that much to say about this one, because it's Conor Oberst and if you like Bright Eyes or anything theis guy associated himself with, you will adore this album. 7/10 |
| 38 |  | Botanist/Oskoreien
Green Metal/Deterministic Chaos
On this Split album, Botanist deliver their usual perspectively interesting Black Metal with really off-putting production, whilst Oskoreien delve into full psychotic Drone-y stagnation. 6/10 |
| 39 |  | Car Bomb
Meta
Car Bomb created a mind bending album that manages to be half fantastic experimental and unconventional Metal, and half clichéd Death-Prog with nothing new to the table. 6/10
Secrets Within, Graditude, Black Blood, Sets, Lights Out |
| 40 |  | The Radio Dept.
Running Out of Love
A dull forgettable Dream Pop that has as much personality or musical weight as a spilled water on a synthesiser. 5/10 |
| 41 |  | Dangers
The Bend in the Break
I genuinely enjoyed the maniacal brutality of the record, but it just seems too one dimensional and samey sometimes. 6/10 |
| 42 |  | Gatecreeper
Sonoran Depravation
Gatecreeper definitely know what they're doing, but I found myself constantly dissinterested in the music, mostly because I found it to be quite one-dimensional and samey. But I still appreciate the musicianship. 6/10 |
| 43 |  | Red Fang
Only Ghosts
This is a heavy, dissonant and fuzzy record. However, there are some downsides to it. Because it relies so heavily on the muddy instrumentation, the songs may sometimes become a little too irritatingly non-distinct or sillily sounding (though not as sillily as the word 'sillily'). 6/10 |
| 44 |  | Goat
Requiem
The instrumental diversity and the overall dizzy and loose vibe of the record are incredibly magnifying. However, the high-pitched vocals are not always incorporated that well into the music and the said vibe in combination with really oddball and disordered instrumentation doesn't always manage to keep up the atmosphere te band is going for. I guess it's just a bit off sometimes due to the fact that the band's organisationless musicianship sometimes doesn't work as well as they would want. 6/10 |
| 45 |  | Holy Sons
In the Garden
It's been a while since the last time an album could only be described as "Meh, it's okay...", but here we go again. Holy Sons made an album of slowburners and barely exciting Folk-Rock tracks. However, on the other hand the album has a good production and the general atmosphere is quite pleasing and there are certain moments here and there (like the end of the song Original Sin when the instrumentation picks up a bit). Thus, it's an okay album and nothing beyond that. 6/10
Original Sin, Double Negative |
| 46 |  | Jeff Rosenstock
Worry.
Jeff Rosenstock returns with a proof that there can be an improvement even upon perfection. On Worry, he bursts out with a series of rapidfire, catchy, instantly memorable and lyrically smart tunes about his everyday problems. And he does that in an examplary fashion with rapidfire instrumentation (though there is space for more sombre songs too) and (as mentioned above) clever lyrics. 8/10
We Begged 2 Explode, Festival Song, Staring Out The Window At Your Old Apartment, I Did Something Weird Last Night, Blast Damage Days, Planet Luxury, Perfect Sound Whatever |
| 47 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dissociation
I am confused, honestly. This is getting so much praise, but I am still struggling to figure out why. It sounds like an over-the-top, dissonant and quite redundantly generic project from a bunch of Metal rookies that normally get up to five votes here on Sputnik. In other words I am barely impressed. 6/10 |
| 48 |  | Mithras
On Strange Loops
I know that the band is doing a great job on those instruments, the riffs are fantastic and I love the cosmic atmosphere of the album, but overall it just sounds one-dimensional to me, unfortunately. I mean, I can't even point out any highlights, because everything just sounds so similarily. 6/10 |
| 49 |  | The Mission
Another Fall from Grace
Bring back those 80s Goths, but make them a bit more contemporarily melodic. 6/10
Met-Amor-Phosis, Bullets And Bayonets, Only You And You Alone |
| 50 |  | Wildlife
Age of Everything
A typical Pop-Rock album with bland verses, uninteresting lyrics and with one sole purpose: huge choruses. Ugh. 5/10 |
| 51 |  | Kero Kero Bonito
Bonito Generation
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHGHGHGHGHAGGHGHG WHATISTHISMAKEITSTOPPLEAAAAAAAAAAAAASE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3/10 |
| 52 |  | Mammoth
Deviations
Heh, that's odd, I don't despise this, although I normally would. 6/10 |
| 53 |  | Painted in Exile
The Ordeal
I guess the reason I like it is because it is so over-the-top and overwhelming without being too bloated to the point of being completely confusing mess. 6/10 |
| 54 |  | From Indian Lakes
Everything Feels Better Now
Though certainly posessing a certain charm and intrigue, the album still doesn't present anything we haven't heard before. It sounds so usually and lacking of anything beyond that that sometimes I found myself almost sleeping through certain parts. Utterly unexciting album. 5/10 |
| 55 |  | Superlynx
LVX
"It's getting darker and darker, but Superlynx will help you see for they are the children of the night." 7/10 |
| 56 |  | Urfaust
Empty Space Meditation
I mean, it is a decent enough atmospheric Black Metal and it surely has potential, but those boring interludes (seriously, why is it still a thing in Metal?) and the sometimes awkward vocals are just an instant turnoff. 6/10 |
| 57 |  | Josefin Ohrn + The Liberation
Mirage
I don't know what's sadder to me, the fact that thsi is just a boring record with wasted potential or that it's me who apparently doesn't get what's so great about it. 5/10 |
| 58 |  | Porcupine
State of the Union
This might be the ugliest Punk EP I've heard in a long time. 6/10 |
| 59 |  | Destrage
A Means To No End
Well, this certainly isn't your typical mediocre, generic, non-distinct Metalcore. Now, it doesn't really bring anything new to the table either, but as for what it is, it's certainly enjoyable, though some tracks do sound like there was more effort put into them than into the others. 6/10
A Means To No End, Symphony of the Ego, Blah Blah |
| 60 |  | Hiss Golden Messenger
Heart Like a Levee
Nicely arranged, sweetly played and tenderly written snoozefest. 5/10 |
| 61 |  | Watchtower
Concepts of Math: Book One
Watchtower are back! But on this newest EP of theirs they don't really show much worth reuniting. It certainly is some good Prog, but there isn't a lot of material that sounds like a comeback worth noticing. Sure, people will be psyched, because Watchtower are back with new stuff, but from this EP it isn't apparent that they really wanted to make themselves seen after all these years of absence. 6/10 |
| 62 |  | Tony Molina
Confront The Truth
It's nice to see certain artists be consistent and able to release a lot of material in such a short time. But who wouldn't be if the material is always 10 minutes long and almost never longer? 7/10 |
| 63 |  | Sum 41
13 Voices
Some people will never change it seems. 5/10 |
| 64 |  | Verberis
Vexamen
Verberis go for the brutal and ominous and they succeed to a certain extent. The album does feel a little left-field and dismal, but all-in-all I couldn't exactly pick up anything that would suggest a complete originality and a band-defining sound. Still a massive output. 7/10 |
| 65 |  | Departe
Failure, Subside
Oh man, this is some really heavy and brutal Black Metal that will instantly crawl under your skin. My only issue with the record might be the interludes. If they weren't there, it wouldn't affect the record in any negative way. Outside of that it is truly an epic. 7/10
Ashes in Bloom, Grief Echoes, Vessel |
| 66 |  | Kaiser Chiefs
Stay Together
Kaiser Chiefs move away from Rock and Britpop towards Electropop with elements of Funk. However, with this switch they also turned their music even more accessible and flavourless than before, going for more straight forward and non-distinct chorus driven songwriting. How unfortunate. 4/10 |
| 67 |  | Planes Mistaken for Stars
Prey
On Prey you'll find a ton of Lo-Fi and fiery Hard Rock tracks that each create an abysmal and hellish atmosphere. But while that is certainly a nice direction the band is headed in, it doesn't quite hold up on the whole record and by the end it just leaves you tired of listening to it rather than pumped. 6/10 |
| 68 |  | Trophy Eyes
Chemical Miracle
Trophy Eyes, shrieking and angrily fiering their way through an Emo scene with their latest and possibly most vibrant, angsty and lyrically grim record to date. However, because the band wants to sound as aggressively as possible, they leave the songs feel quite samey in the process. Therefore it is quite hard to pinpoint a highlight based on anything more than maybe an appealing melody or the right combination of melody and emotional outburst on chorus. 7/10
Counting Sheep, Nose Bleed, Miracle, Suicide Pact |
| 69 |  | C Duncan
The Midnight Sun
C Duncan leaves any last traces of Folk behind for Electronica. Now, normally I would hate this sort of transition, but The Midnight Sun is packed with intriguing and sometimes striking and memorable tunes filled with passion and a certain unique beauty. But it isn't a perfect record. The vocals are lackluster, some songs would sound much better if they had a bigger punch and some other songs are mostly chorus driven, forgetting about the melodic componence of verses almost completely. But regardless, it is a curious transition from Indie Folk to Electropop for C Duncan. 7/10
Nothing More, Like You Do, On Course, Jupiter, Window |
| 70 |  | Alter Bridge
The Last Hero
Alter Bridge came through with their usual set of extremely overwhelming tracks that will probably leave you tired of listening. 7/10
The Writing on the Wall, Crows on a Wire, Twilight, The Last Hero |
| 71 |  | Lushlife
No Dead Languages
An instrumental EP from Lushlife. And, well, it's okay if you really want to hear something new from this guy, because there's nothing all that interesting on here. It really is just an instrumental that exists for the sake of existing... 6/10 (at best) |
| 72 |  | Clarence Clarity
SAME
Hold on...so this EP is just one song repeated 5 times?...Well it is a decent track...okay...7/10 |
| 73 |  | Wormrot
Voices
There go the last shreds of my will to fully enjoy Grind. 6/10 |
| 74 |  | Two Door Cinema Club
Gameshow
On the surface, Two Door Cinema Club didn't derail from their steady track...yet. They're not a completely faceless and watered down, no personality, bland and desperate to sound catchy Pop-Rock...yet. Their songs are still easy to listen to and some of them are even actually enjoyable. So my problem with the album is not that the band lost their past appeal. My problem is that is that they never had all that much of it in the first place 5/10
Are We Ready?, Fever |
| 75 |  | Our Place of Worship is Silence
The Embodiment of Hate
It's not that the band doesn't do a decent job, it's that their brand of Metal is almost indigestible. 6/10 |
| 76 |  | Jimmy Eat World
Integrity Blues
Guess who deteriorated to a complete unrecognisable corny dullness? 5/10 |
| 77 |  | NOFX
First Ditch Effort
Sometimes personal, sometimes socially-political, sometimes just about everything at once. NOFX put out another record that might grip you for a while, but don't expect this album to get deep under under your skin. 6/10
6 Years on Dope, Sid and Nancy, California Drought, I Don't Like Me Anymore, I'm So Sorry Tony |
| 78 |  | Super Unison
Auto
Oh damn, these guys have some serious issues, don't they? The rage is just so vibrant and captivating on this album. The band does a great job working with emotions and angst, incorporating them into their songwriting. It is a hell of a ride. 7/10 |
| 79 |  | Take Over And Destroy
Take Over and Destroy
How does one do that? How do people take as plain a premise as Black/Stoner fusion and transform it into one of the most mindblowing, outrageously catchy, dynamic and atmospherically ear piercing albums of the year. I had little to no expectations going into this record. I had my disputes with Stoner Rock in the past, but have it mixed with Psychedelica and pump it up with instrumental influences from the 80s and you've got me a near perfect Metal album. 8/10
By Knife, Leave The Door, Let Me Grieve, Separate From The Shadows, Out of Frame, Bring Me The Rope, Night Work Begins |
| 80 |  | L'Orange and Mr. Lif
The Life and Death of Scenery
Though both L'Orange and Mr.Lif have talent and are able to make an album with a decent execution and concept, it just seemed too short for me. I still loved most of what I've heard, but 22 minutes from these two? I crave for more. 7/10
The Scribe, The Gentle End, Strange Technology, A Palace In The Sky |
| 81 |  | Greys
Warm Shadow
From a songwriting perspective, it's an incredible improvement upon their last album. The songs feel actually as different songs, not as one line of tracks all following the exact same musical concept. However, the production on this album took a colossal nosedive. It doesn't even sound like demos, it sounds like someone tried to make it sound like demos. So Greys picked up the pace in certain places, but lost it completely on others. 6/10 |
| 82 |  | Auroch
Mute Books
Auroch came through with yet another solid release. Unfortunately, just like their previous work, it seems to me that there's something missing in their style. It's definitely impressive and I dig the grim and bleak nature of it, but they never sounded particularly gripping to me. But it is still an enjoyable listen, though the vocals are not as interesting to me as I'd want (possibly because I'm not that much into this growly and low-toned kind of vocals). 7/10 |
| 83 |  | Weak Wrists
Weak Wrists
A magnetic and grandiose album that maybe just drags on for too long, but otherwise it's a great album worthy of your attention. 7/10 |
| 84 |  | Marching Church
Telling It Like It Is
An interesting, but occasionally tedious album full of unusual musical turns and stylistic songwriting decisions. 7/10 |
| 85 |  | 40 Watt Sun
Wider than the Sky
I mean, it's decent music, but did you really have to stretch it out into such excruciating lengths? 6/10 |
| 86 |  | Meshuggah
The Violent Sleep of Reason
Oh boy, I've been hesitant to listen to this one. It's no secret taht I have a lot of issues with Progressive Metal, especially Djent part of it. And Meshuggah are a perfect example of noise over substance. This record might be their most repetative and tedious to date. Even at times when they try to go melodic and bring out some emotions into the play, it just falls flat and gets drowned in the overall overwhelming instrumentational noise. 4/10 |
| 87 |  | Waldgefluster
Ruinen
I was honestly hyped for this as soon as I heard Waldgeflüster's contribution to that Panopticon Split, which I consider one of the best Black Metal of 2016 to this very moment. And it is so pleasing to hear that my hopes were fulfilled on this record. Ruinen contains some magnificent atmospheric Black Metal moments and even some juicy guitar solos here and there. Every moment is worthwhile. I do see some people complaining that this record is just a typical Folky Black Metal and brings nothing new to the table. And that is true to a certain extent, but the band uses all of these usual Black Metal tropes to their best advantage and the result is a brilliantly put together album that despite its length is wholly entertaining all throughout. Eines der besten Black Metal Alben letztes Jahr. 8/10
Trümmerfestung, Und immer wieder Schnee, Graustufen Novembertage, Aschephönix |
| 88 |  | Dead to Me
I Wanna Die in Los Angeles
There is a place for "fun and catchy" in Punk too. 8/10 |
| 89 |  | Mothman (USA-TX)
Answers To No One
Oh look, I actually managed to sit through this, and all it took was my left ear...seriously, it won't stop bleeding... 6/10 |
| 90 |  | Joyce Manor
Cody
I don't know, it's just kind of non-distinct. I mean, it is alright, but there is nothing particularly outstanding within, outside of some moments here and there. 6/10 |
| 91 |  | All Get Out
Nobody Likes A Quitter
At first it seemed like a secured fav Emo of the year, because the first four tracks are simly impeccable. However, the album takes a deep nosedive into mediocre right after that. It's really strange to hear that, because it's not like they changed their style completely between those tracks, but they somehow slowed down, started ignoring their heavier side and focused more on the melodic and harmonic component. And it became dull quite quickly. Sure, they do go back to the fast-pace collness on the track Sideways, but only partially and it doesn't save the overall curved picture it already set up. 6/10
Room to Talk, Home, Chasing Skirt, Whatever |
| 92 |  | Darkthrone
Arctic Thunder
This is the Black Metal purist's wet dream. All of the underproduced instruments and laughably dark vocals you know and love from your 90s cassette collection. But I will say this, the riffs on this record are awesome. 6/10 |
| 93 |  | Dayshell
Nexus
I don't have anything to say about this kind of shit anymore. It's just the same thing over and over again. It's always just an uninspired, overproduced, boring and bloated lump of nothing. What was I even thinking? As if I didn't know I'd hate this. 4/10 |
| 94 |  | Moby
These Systems Are Failing
Moby is back at it again with his most ambitious, out-there, catchy, but also opinionated album in a while. The tracks on here are bombastic, have overwhelming choruses and an overall fantastic songwriting. I guess my only issue is the production that sometimes sounds one bit too messy with all the backround instruments coming together into a certain static-like noise. Still, it's nice to see Moby pushing forward even this far into his career. 8/10
Hey! Hey!, A Simple Love, Don't Leave Me, Are You Lost In The World Like Me?, Erupt and Matter, A Simple Love |
| 95 |  | Sam Kogon
Psychic Tears
Thought the songwriting is sweet and the execution shows some real potential, I just didn't care for Sam's often times earpiercing vocals. 6/10 |
| 96 |  | Tommy '86
Transhumanism
80s ain't over yet, kids. But the grim neon future is already here just as well. 7/10
Citymulation, L.V.T.H.N. Central Unit, Command and Control, A.I. Takeover, Transhumanism |
| 97 |  | Infinity Shred
Long Distance
Although surely an interesting genre blend, it almost always feels like it's lacking some sort of focus or songwriting intigue. It's just sort of non-descript a lot of the times. 6/10 |
| 98 |  | TotorRo
Come to Mexico
I like the happy-go-lucky atmosphere of this record, but my only real gripe about it is that it isn't particularly memorable outside of the fact that it is really fun and upbeat while it lasts. 6/10 |
| 99 |  | Empire Of The Sun
Two Vines
Empire of the Sun is like that tea you oversugared and then forgot about it and left it out to cool down and a fly drowned in it and now it's a cold, sugary trash. 3/10 |
| 100 |  | Birocratic
Replaced
A set of cool beats...aaaand that's it. 6/10 |
| 101 |  | NAAT
NAAT
Yeah, it's decent.......aight. 7/10 |
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