My Favorite Releases of 2017
Hello everyone. My name is Ian and I pretty much never post despite having a profile on Sputnik for years. 2017 was definitely a cool music year for me because I got into both a lot of new bands and a few new genres. Enjoy this mixed bag of a list.
Runners Up (I got too lazy to write more descriptions):
Nightbringer - Terra Damnata
Black Dahlia - Nightbringers
ALEX and Tokyo Rose - Akuma |
| 21 |  | Warbringer
Woe to the Vanquished
Comeback! The California thrashers re-emerge with an incredibly well done album with variety and intensity that hadn't existed since Waking Into Nightmares.
Favorite song: Shellfire |
| 20 |  | Make Them Suffer
Worlds Apart
Gasp, Rise Records! In all seriousness, the new keyboardist and guitarist step up on the album by creating some really nice atmosphere. Fireworks actually sounds like you're being shot into space.
Favorite song: Grinding Teeth |
| 19 |  | Shoji Meguro
Persona 5 Original Soundtrack
I sat here for a good 20 minutes thinking about whether or not I should include this on the list. I ended up doing so because I listen to this OST more than I do a number of albums this year. Despite there being over 100 songs on it, the quality never suffers. Also, if you haven't actually played the game, you should; it's borderline perfect.
Favorite songs (can't choose): Blood of Villain/Blooming Villain, obligatory Rivers in the Desert, and The Days When My Mother Was There |
| 18 |  | Gigan
Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence
There were a lot of sweet death metal releases this year but this one stood out to me due to how trippy it was. The drum work is also insane. Maybe more bands should start naming themselves after Godzilla monsters.
Favorite song: In Between, Throughout Form and Void |
| 17 |  | Deadlife (UK)
Bionic Chrysalis
Another sweet synthwave release that, although not as masterfully composed as Perturbator, is still memorable and...heavy? Can I use that word?
Favorite song: Avenge Me |
| 16 |  | Septicflesh
Codex Omega
It's pretty much Titan with way more energy (thank you Krimh), which is more than enough for me. Septicflesh's unique style of symphonic metal is one of those that will never get old to me.
Favorite song: Portrait of a Headless Man and all of it's hellenistic glory |
| 15 |  | Enslaved
E
Enslaved does their proggy Opeth impression but it's better in pretty much every single way. I actually don't think this band has ever made a bad album.
Favorite song: Axis of the Worlds |
| 14 |  | Bell Witch
Mirror Reaper
Such a fantastic, spiritual sounding album, but I have the same personal issue with this as I did Pleiades Dust. I can't deny that one massive song heightens the experience aspect, but I also feel the need to listen to certain sections on numerous occasions. At least Pleiades Dust has unofficial parts to it.
Favorite song: .....Mirror Reaper |
| 13 |  | Serenity in Murder
The Eclipse
First album by the band for me and I have to say, they have a really unique sound. The slower symphonic elements are straight up cinematic while they're also able to thrash incredibly hard. Also, Peter Mohrbacher is an incredible artist.
Favorite song: The Revelation |
| 12 |  | Lorde
Melodrama
My favorite non-metal artist makes another high quality, mold-breaking album. Man, she's the best.
Favorite song: Hard Feelings/Loveless |
| 11 |  | Archspire
Relentless Mutation
I honestly thought this was the silliest shit when I first heard it. If tech n9ne and tech death had a baby, this would be it. With each listen, the album grew on me and I realized that Archspire were both insane musicians and decent songwriters.
Favorite song: Human Murmuration |
| 10 |  | Entheos (USA)
Dark Future
Entheos slows it down a bit in order to show off their proggy influences, and the result is a darker (I guess they weren't lying on the title), more memorable experience.
Favorite song: Sunshift |
| 9 |  | Pallbearer
Heartless
Although not as good as the masterpiece that was Foundations of Burden, Heartless is still an amazing album that may even come off as more genuine than its predecessor.
Favorite song: Dancing in Madness |
| 8 |  | Perturbator
New Model
This is the reason why I had to title the list "releases" instead of "albums." I got into synthwave this year, and naturally ended up at Perturbator. Although The Uncanny Valley is probably my favorite thing ever, that was 2016 so I can't go on a tangent about how perfect it was. New Model is the introduction to a new, broodier sound that still retains his melodic style and...heaviness?
Favorite song: Tainted Empire |
| 7 |  | Dyscarnate
With All Their Might
Short, diverse, and insanely groovy, Dyscarnate put out their best album to date. Not much to say here except for how impressed I am that they could fit so many nutty riffs into one release.
Favorite song: Traitors in the Palace |
| 6 |  | Sabbath Assembly
Rites Of Passage
Got into occult/doomy/stoner/whatever rock this year (I would definitely appreciate recommendations) and this has been one of my favorite releases so far. The vocals are a mix of spooky and campy that works really well for me, while songs like Does Love Die pack a genuine emotional punch.
Favorite song: Shadow's Revenge |
| 5 |  | Immolation
Atonement
The old logo |
| 4 |  | Darkest Hour
Godless Prophets and The Migrant Flora
The comeback! I'm not sure if it was Sumerian draining the life from them (as they do with most of their bands), or if they got stabbed by the adrenaline needle that is Kris Norris, but Darkest hour have come back to life. Not only does the album thrash incredibly hard, but each track is unique.
Favorite song: Knife in the Safe Room is just too good. |
| 3 |  | Chelsea Wolfe
Hiss Spun
Only artist where I said "there's no way she could top this" 3-4 times at this point. Her and Kurt Ballou form the perfect musical marriage and get suuuuper heavy this time around. Don't know how she does it, but her songs always drag in a way that simultaneously lulls its listener and creates tension.
Favorite song: Vex or Particle Flux - can't decide. |
| 2 |  | Cradle of Filth
Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay
Excuse me while I shamelessly plug this in at number two, as their resurgence has shifted from my guilty pleasure to genuine enjoyment. Dani and co. tackles what I believe is the band's most modern setting yet in the Victorian Era with more flair and diverse writing than Hammer.
Favorite song: Achingly Beautiful |
| 1 |  | Artificial Brain
Infrared Horizon
The grimy tech death boys are at it again. This album was somehow better than Labyrinth Constellation and they're only getting tighter as musicians as well. It's only their second album and they're absolutely tearing up the genre.
Favorite song: Graveyard of Lightless Planets |
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