Best Of 2019
Slowly populating this list throughout the rest of the year. I'll probably still be adding to it in 2020 (for hindsight reasons). |
| 1 |  | Poppy
Choke
5* Poppy is a guilty pleasure of mine, even with her older "poppy" style of music. This is a transitional EP going toward next year's metal album I DISAGREE. Industrial/metal mix, kind of sounds like Babymetal mixed with a bit of somber electronic sounds. Each album she produces is better than her last, and I expect her 2020 album to blow this one, my current top pick for 2019, out of the water. |
| 2 |  | Owel
Paris
5* Alternative rock with stringed instruments and piano. Very light, soothing album with solid tracks from start to finish. Deserves substantial radio play, which it is not receiving, because I could see just about anyone enjoying this music. |
| 3 |  | InVisions
Between You and Me
4.9* Nothing all too original here, but very solid metalcore sound. Listened to this quite a few times on repeat, which is rare for me. Vocalist is very impressive with an extremely diverse arsenal of screams. Melodies are catchy and on point. |
| 4 |  | Spiritbox
Singles Collection
4.8* A very minor step back for me from their previous album, but still worthy of rounding up to a 5. Djenty and heavy at times with beautiful clean vocals from ex-front of iwrestledabearonce, and above par screams even compared to male vocalists. |
| 5 |  | Cave In
Final Transmission
4.6* I don't remember Cave In sounding like this. They've grown a calmer maturity to their heavy nature. I like it so much more. In retrospect, it does seem like a natural evolution to their sound, even if it wasn't what I was expecting. Compare evolution and current sound to bands like Callisto or Latitudes. It's the first album on my list below an official 5, but it has the potential to get bumped up. |
| 6 |  | Microwave
Death is a Warm Blanket
4.6* Complete departure from their old sound, and a submergence into the roots of post hardcore. It sounds like something straight out of the early 2000's, nostalgic almost, but with really professional mixing and mastering. |
| 7 |  | Humanity's Last Breath
Abyssal
4.5* Heavy as fuck. Quality. |
| 8 |  | M83
DSVII
4.5* Not sure what happened to these guys. Not sure what the point of this album is. But I love it. It's like if the Ocarina Of Time soundtrack was fully fleshed out in certain zones. Some weird Kakariko Village/Zora's Domain immersive experience. |
| 9 |  | Loser
Never Young
4.5* Sounds a little bit like Deftones. |
| 10 |  | Latitudes
Part Island
4.5* Compared to previous albums, it grooves less, it's a bit slower, and its vocals are more prominent. My favorite of theirs since Agonist. Has the potential to move up on my list, we'll see. |
| 11 |  | Spotlights
Love and Decay
4.5* Shoegaze metal. Only thing that would make this better would be a bit more diversity in sound. |
| 12 |  | Insomnium
Heart Like A Grave
4.5* |
| 13 |  | Brand of Sacrifice
God Hand
4.5* One of the heaviest albums I've ever heard. Mandatory points for that quality alone. |
| 14 |  | Billie Eilish
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
4.5* |
| 15 |  | Secret Band
LP2
4.5* I realize I rate everything a 4.5, but that's only because everything is 4.5 sounding. |
| 16 |  | Shadow Of Intent
Melancholy
4.5* |
| 17 |  | Above, Below
The Lotus Chapters
4.5* |
| 18 |  | Chelsea Wolfe
Birth of Violence
4.0* This is the biggest disappointment of the year for me. I heard a couple of her singles before the full album dropped, so I was excited for a stripped down, back-to-her-roots style. Unfortunately, there is less foundation to her actual songs, and this album, for me, does not live up to her others. |
| 19 |  | Vale of Pnath
Accursed
4.0* Audibly perfect, but the songs are lacking. |
| 20 |  | The Gloom in The Corner
Flesh & Bones
4.0* |
| 21 |  | Holding Absence
Holding Absence
4.0* |
| 22 |  | Pijn & Conjurer
Curse These Metal Hands
4.0* |
| 23 |  | Taylor Swift
Lover
4.0* I love half the songs on here... Lover, The Man, Paper Rings, Soon You'll Get Better, You Need To Calm Down, ME!, It's Nice To Have A Friend, Daylight. Throw the rest in the trash, and you have a solid album. Probably would have rated it 4.5+. |
| 24 |  | Unprocessed
Artificial Void
4.0* |
| 25 |  | Empty
Hope and The Loss of It
4.0* |
|
