Fearthyevil's: Best of 2015
Not a ranked list except where 1 and 2 are. |
| 80 |  | Sikth
Opacities
Progressive Metalcore
After almost a nine year wait Sikth return with the dazzling riffs, weird vocal patterns, and abrupt nature we all know and love from them.
Favorite track: Walking Shadows |
| 79 |  | Vision of Disorder
Razed To The Ground
Metalcore
One of the more underrated metalcore veterans, Vision of Disorder still show how metalcore is done with outstanding riffs scattered throughout this aggressive but somewhat melodic affair. Fans of the band shouldn’t be disappointed.
Favorite Track: The Craving |
| 78 |  | Svffer
Empathist
Powerviolence/Grind/Hardcore
This album is the equivalent of being trampled on the skull repeatedly. Female fronted vocals laden with copious amounts of hate-filled aggression
Favorite track: Unjust Prevail |
| 77 |  | Frontierer
Orange Mathematics
Mathcore/Metalcore
Frontierer are a great example of what this genre should sound like today. Abrasive downright disgusting musical composition accompanied by some insane vocal delivery. Simply put, it’s like being kicked in the nuts.
Favorite track: Bleak |
| 76 |  | Cult Leader
Lightless Walk
Sludgy hardcore
One of the more gut punching and in your face albums this year. Absolute mayhem and a thankful return to the days of you know whom.
Favorite Tracks: Sympathetic |
| 75 |  | Panopticon
Autumn Eternal
Atmospheric Black metal
A beautiful black metal album with great swooning guitar leads, passionate vocals that help to paint a picture.
Favorite track: Pale Ghosts |
| 74 |  | Clutch
Psychic Warfare
Stoner rock/hard rock
I have yet to be disappointed in the ability of Clutch to punch out tasty riffs, catchy as hell choruses, and vocals from Neil that is just so damn infectious. Basically, another solid ass record from the group.
Favorite track: A Quick Death in Texas |
| 73 |  | Loma Prieta
Self Portrait
Skramz
Loma Prieta go for a change of pace with this record slowing down the tempo and deliver a much more melodic skramz record that works well despite the obvious changes.
Favorite track: Satellite |
| 72 |  | Deafheaven
New Bermuda
Black metal
Much less attempts at shoegaze/post-rock elements than Sunbather. Deafheaven instead just go for a straightforward black metal effort. For those that dislike them though this probably won’t change that but I think it’s a very solid effort by the band.
Favorite track: Brought to the Water |
| 71 |  | No Devotion
Permanence
Alt rock/post-punk
No Devotion remind me of bands like Joy Division and The Cure but with a much more modern rock flare and experimentation with synth and electronic music. The band stemmed off from Lostprophets and is front-runned by lead singer Geoff Rickly of Thursday.
Favorite track: Why Can’t I Be With You |
| 70 |  | Black Breath
Slaves Beyond Death
Sludgy Hardcore
It’s pretty much your standard Black Breath record. Skull crushing riffs, fast paced drumming, etc. Only real issue is some songs go on for a little too long but it’s still solid.
Favorite track: Title track |
| 69 |  | Girl Band
Holding Hands With Jamie
Noise rock/Post-punk
This album is filled to the brim with Pixies worship, which is a good thing. I know their sound will never be replicated but it’s nice to see Girl Band have a more modern twist with the said sound.
Favorite track: Paul |
| 68 |  | The Black Dahlia Murder
Abysmal
Melodic Death Metal
Nothing really new here by TBDM just the same thing we’ve come to expect which is fine with me.
Favorite track: Re-faced |
| 67 |  | Nickelus F and Shawn Kemp
Trick Dice
Hip-hop
I’m pretty terrible at describing hip-hop albums other than just saying good things about production and the rappers ability. So I’ll just let this review do the talking. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/68474/Nickelus-F-and-Shawn-Kemp-Trick-Dice/
Favorite track: Clusterfuck |
| 66 |  | Amorphis
Under the Red Cloud
Melodic death metal/prog
Amorphis return with probably their best album since Silent Waters.
Favorite track: Death of a King |
| 65 |  | Cruciamentum
Charnel Passages
Death metal
A very underappreciated album that should be in any death metal fans collection.
Favorite track: Tongues of Nightshade |
| 64 |  | Nile
What Should Not Be Unearthed
Death metal
It took me this long to finely understand Nile’s music. Fantastic riffs, production, and vocals lay down the forefront for this behemoth.
Favorite track: Evil to Cast Out Evil |
| 63 |  | Carly Rae Jepsen
E MO TION
Pop
Believe me this is the last thing I expected me to be enjoying so much but I couldn’t help myself. Her voice works, the 80’s vibe is excellent, and the choruses are incredibly addicting.
Favorite track: Emotion |
| 62 |  | Adversarial
Death, Endless Nothing and the Black Knife of...
Blackened death metal
A truly impressive record for this group with stellar riffs and an unmatched atmosphere. Blackened death metal isn’t always all too liked but this band is able to make some rethink that.
Favorite track: Eonik Spiritual Warfare |
| 61 |  | Rivers of Nihil
Monarchy
Death metal
This is simply just like The Flesh Prevails but without the absolutely overbearing production.
Favorite track: Reign of Dreams |
| 60 |  | Chelsea Wolfe
Abyss
Experimental/Gothic
Chelsea Wolfe has been able to accomplish such a dark ethereal atmosphere that pulls listeners in and continues to do so just like her past albums.
Favorite track: Grey Days |
| 59 |  | Cattle Decapitation
The Anthropocene Extinction
Deathgrind
This album is an insane pummeling assault with some of the most ludicrous vocals I’ve heard from Travis. His range is undeniably impressive
Favorite track: Mammals in Babylon |
| 58 |  | Enabler
Fail to Feel Safe
Melodic hardcore
After a pretty disappoint album in 2014, Enabler come back with a more focused effort. Much harder hitting choruses, great pacing, and fast-paced riffage.
Favorite track: Malady |
| 57 |  | Abyssal
Antikatastaseis
Blackened Death metal
This one-man project has been tightening up the songwriting and making the programmed drums sound much more authentic for a compromising engaging experience.
Favorite track: A Casual Landscape |
| 56 |  | This Gift Is A Curse
All Hail The Swinelord
Black metal/hardcore
One of the most engaging blackened hardcore releases I heard this year. Absolutely breathtaking pieces slapped together with impressive production, great guest vocal work, moody atmospheric sludge and crust tracks. This really has it all and is probably my top 5 albums this year if I were to rank this entire list.
Favorite track: Hanging Feet |
| 55 |  | Ghostface Killah
Twelve Reasons to Die II
Hip-hop
Ghostface still killing it with each album he comes out with it. Another impressive effort
Favorite track: The Center of Attraction |
| 54 |  | Zao
Xenophobe/Fear Itself
Metalcore
I know it’s really just a two song ep but I’m a huge Zao fan and this has me mad excited for what the future holds in store for this band.
Favorite track : Fear Itself |
| 53 |  | Vince Staples
Summertime '06
Hip-hop
Vince’s lyricism isn’t exactly going to impress many people but what I can’t get over the insanely polished production and infectious beats.
Favorite track: Loca |
| 52 |  | The Armed
Untitled
Metalcore/hardcore
The Armed crank up the music to level 10 and deliver a hate filled record with direct attacks to the modern state of music today. Quite good but can get a little preachy.
Favorite track: Dead Actress |
| 51 |  | Vattnet Viskar
Settler
Blackened Post-metal
A very well integrated use of post-rock leading into much more bombastic and chaotic sections scattered throughout this album. The band does a nice job of mixing melody without overselling it.
Favorite track: Colony |
| 50 |  | KEN mode
Success
Noise-rock/hardcore
Much less metalcore than previous efforts, KEN mode pretty much go straightforward with their noise-rock roots and pretty much nail it. This is meant to be a rough around the edges affair
Favorite track: Management Control |
| 49 |  | Neat Beats
Sleep Cycles
Hip-hop/trip-hop
An aesthetically pleasing album that is great to relax and let your mind free with.
Favorite track: Sea loops |
| 48 |  | Faith No More
Sol Invictus
Alt rock
Eighteenth years later, Faith no More return with a solid album that reminds of their quirkiness and attention to detail with each album they put out. Not their best work but certainly a nice comeback record.
Favorite track: Matador |
| 47 |  | Haste the Day
Coward
Metalcore
Was never really a fan of Haste the Day but this record on the other hand was very good. Metalcore with a great atmosphere, riffs, and some outstanding harsh vocals by Jimmy Ryan. However, this album has pretty bad clean vocals, which is the main negative I can think of.
Favorite track: Shadow |
| 46 |  | Hop Along
Painted Shut
Indie rock
Frances Quinlan gives a fantastic vocal performance accompanied by some of the most memorable choruses and straight passion.
Favorite track: Texas Funeral |
| 45 |  | Moderator
The World Within
Trip-hop
A trip-hop record that dabbles with a little bit of everything from jazz, funk, and soul with fantastic production and outstanding guest spots. Love this record and was criminally underrated this year.
Favorite track: Words Remain |
| 44 |  | Irreversible
Irreversible
Post-metal
Irreversible’s final album, which was a great send out to those who are fans.
Favorite track: Fade |
| 43 |  | Bosse-de-Nage
All Fours
Black metal/post-rock
I hate toe say it because many will write it off, but this album reminds me a lot of Sunbather in the best way possible. Excellent record
Favorite track: Washerwoman |
| 42 |  | Palm Reader
Beside The Ones We Love
Melodic metalcore
An extremely passionate effort from this U.K. metalcore group that deserve a bit more of attention. This should be looked at by any metalcore fan.
Facore track; By the Ground, We’re Defiend |
| 41 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'
Post-rock
When it comes to post-rock, Godspeed have never failed to deliver an ambitious thought out record
Favorite track: Lambs’ Breath |
| 40 |  | CHVRCHES
Every Open Eye
Synth pop
One of the catchiest albums I’ve heard all year. Many disagree that it’s better than the first but personally I think it is better.
Favorite track: Downside of Me |
| 39 |  | Modest Mouse
Strangers to Ourselves
Alt rock/Indie rock
While this certainly isn't the best modest mouse has given us, I feel as though this album got a bit of undeserved hate. It’s not perfect but it still reminds me of everything that made me a Mosdest Mouse fan in the first place.
Favorite track: The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box |
| 38 |  | Red Giant (USA-NJ)
Drones
Trip-hop/downtempo
Fantastic vocals, great lyrics, and a dark chilled out vibe show up all across this short little ep.
Favorite track: Criminal Minded |
| 37 |  | Enslaved
In Times
Progressive black metal
Another solid outing by these black metal veterans.
Favorite track: Nauthir Bleeding |
| 36 |  | Bleak
We Deserve Our Failures
Sludge/hardcore
A calamity of just disgusting riffs, a claustrophobic wall of noise, and heavy as hell production.
Favorite track: Century of Youth |
| 35 |  | Ghostface Killah and BADBADNOTGOOD
Sour Soul
Hip-hop/jazz
This collaboration is a match made in heaven with BADBADNOTGOODS very intricate jazz laden instrumentals taking center stage for Ghost to lay down the knowledge.
Favorite track: Gunshowers |
| 34 |  | Primitive Man
Home Is Where The Hatred Is
Doom metal
Absolutely filthy is what best describes this in a nutshell.
Favorite track: Loathe |
| 33 |  | Misthyrming
Söngvar elds og óreiðu
Black metal
An Icelandic metal group that has an impressive detail for atmosphere along with great riffs.
Favorite track: Endalokasálmar |
| 32 |  | SUMAC
The Deal
Post-metal/sludge
A super group consisting of members from Isis, Botch, and Baptists. That alone should have peeked peoples interest but let me say it’s just as heavy as you would expect.
Favorite track: Hollow King |
| 31 |  | Heiress
Of Great Sorrow
Hardcore/post-metal
Of Great Sorrow borrows elements of sludge, hardcore, post-metal for a visceral experience with plenty of great atmosphere.
Favorite track: Blading |
| 30 |  | Napalm Death
Apex Predator - Easy Meat
Grindcore
Grindcore legends release another tooth grinding, cranial busting album that is sure to get the blood pumping and the fists flying. Not to mention that the production on hear is solid as fuck.
Favorite track: Hierarchies |
| 29 |  | Toundra
IV
Post-rock
An instrumental post-rock album with memorable atmospheric soundscapes that keep the listener engaged despite the track length.
Favorite track: Belenos |
| 28 |  | Sleater-Kinney
No Cities to Love
Indie rock
A decade later, Sleater-kinney proves these girls are not to be forgotten. Excellently written choruses, political aggression, and infectious riffs a plenty.
Favorite track: A New Wave |
| 27 |  | Joey Badass
B4.DA.$$
Hip-hop
Once again, I’ll just let the review do the talking. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/65663/Joey-Badass-B4.DA.%24%24/
Favorite track: Paper Trail$ |
| 26 |  | Desolate Shrine
The Heart of the Netherworld
Death metal
Desolate shrine create a terrifying claustrophobic atmosphere that is a sound all their own. Easily one of my favorite death metal records this year. On another note, that album cover art is beautiful.
Favorite track: We Dawn Anew |
| 25 |  | Statues
Together We're Alone
Metalcore.
Draws a lot of comparisons to Converge but with a much more skramz element being presented throughout the record. Very heartfelt while still maintaining its edge.
Favorite track Always Building, Always Breaking |
| 24 |  | Hive Destruction
Hive Destruction
Post-metal
This reminds me a lot of Isis ep Mosquito Control but with tighter songwriting and some elements of drone scattered in some areas.
Favorite track: Through Dark, Brown Deserts |
| 23 |  | Horrendous
Anareta
Death metal
One of the most ambitious death metal records this year. Horrendous pack some of the most tightly nit riffs backed behind some of the best production I’ve heard this year. Just outstanding and I’m looking forward to where they go from here.
Favorite track: Sum of All Failures |
| 22 |  | Totem Skin
Weltschmerz
Blackened hardcore
A ferocious assault with outstanding riffs and a great mix of sreamo with black metal elements tossed around. This once again bares some Converge influence but not more homage than imitation.
Favorite track: Pretendco |
| 21 |  | Iron Maiden
The Book of Souls
Metal
It’s amazing how good Maiden still is after all these years of releasing classic records. What’s even more impressive is the fact that after 30+ years, they can still make such amazing records.
Favorite track: When the River Runs Deep |
| 20 |  | mgla
Exercises in Futility
Black metal
Mgla is an intense ride from start to finish. It’s bleak, depressive, and suffocating but rewarding and incredible all the same.
Favorite track: Exercises in Futility IV |
| 19 |  | Ghost (SWE)
Meliora
Metal
Ghost create an exhilarating and just flat-out fun record with many addicting riffs and choruses.
Favorite track: From the Pinnacle to the Pit |
| 18 |  | We Lost the Sea
Departure Songs
Post-metal
After the tragic suicide of leader singer Chris Torpy, the group went to move on as an instrumental group. The band captured an amazing soundscape and atmosphere that is both sad and uplifting. This album, even without vocals, will have you going through a wide array of emotion.
Favorite track: The Last Dive of David Shaw |
| 17 |  | Rosetta
Quintessential Ephemera
Post-metal
Most people aware of Post-metal realize Rosetta is a highly regarded outfit. This album once again proves this and goes for a much more melodic touch then the group has gone for in the past and I personally love it. It’s also great considering their 2013 was less then impressive. Still find the track listing pretty annoying though.
Favorite track: (Untitled V) |
| 16 |  | Howls of Ebb
The Marrow Veil
Death metal/doom
As someone who is a big fan of this group and does their amazing sound a much better justice than I, let me tell you Jac’s review explains this perfectly. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/68055/Howls-of-Ebb-The-Marrow-Veil/
Favorite track: Standing on Bedlam, Burning in Bliss |
| 15 |  | Leprous
The Congregation
Progressive metal
While this may not to be everyone’s usual taste when it comes to prog, for the more modern sound I fell in love with it. Plenty of off time moments, fantastic vocals, and great production hold this together well.
Favorite track: The Flood |
| 14 |  | Akhlys
The Dreaming I
Black metal
A frightening black metal release that holds no punches. Dark, misty, gloomy, and murky while being an absolute journey through an abyss.
Favorite track: Consummation |
| 13 |  | Minsk
The Crash and the Draw
Post-metal/sludge
The Crash and Draw doesn’t suffer from overly long buildups putting people to sleep like some in this genre, instead it really sets a mood all it’s own for that burst of energetic wall of sound. A lengthy embark but a rewarding one too.
Favorite track: These Longest Days |
| 12 |  | Marriages
Salome
shoegaze/post-rock
Marriages debut is a charm filled listen with a nice polished sound and more noticeable glossy but pleasant production.
Favorite track: Binge |
| 11 |  | Sufjan Stevens
Carrie and Lowell
Indie folk
What Sufjan is able to encase in this incredibly engaging album is amazing. This album brings quite the range of emotions from heartbreaking, uplifting, to depressing. This is all the while done crafting these beautiful acoustic tracks and his soft but warm vocals flowing over top.
Favorite track: Fourth of July |
| 10 |  | Ad Nauseam
Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est
Death metal
Hands down one of the best death metal albums this year. Quite a lot of Gorguts worship but with their own twist on it and a wide array of dissonance and out of this world riff styling’s.
Favorite track: Into the Void Eye (has one of the creepiest riffs I’ve ever heard) |
| 9 |  | Death Grips
The Powers That B - Part II: Jenny Death
Experimental hip-hop
Jenny Death is Death Grips most ear blistering effort to date with pummeling synthizers, earth shattering drumming, and vocals that sound like hellfire.
Favorite track: Turned Off |
| 8 |  | Elder (USA-MA)
Lore
Psychedelic rock/stoner rock
This just is filled with magnificent riffs and great production. What can I say? It fucking rocks
Favorite track: Deadweight |
| 7 |  | Thou/The Body
You, Whom I Have Always Hated
Sludge metal/Doom
While not a big fan of The Body, these two go together like spick and spam. Their two sounds combine for a hellish adventure filled with dark atmospheric slowed down sections only to be clobbered by Thou’s ferocious and pummeling sound.
Favorite track: He Returns to his Place of Inequity |
| 6 |  | Viet Cong
Viet Cong
Post punk/noise rock
Another release that proves post-punk isn’t exactly dead when bands like this craft something amazing. A must-listen to from this year
Favorite track: Bunker Buster |
| 5 |  | Tesa
G H O S T
Post-metal/Sludge
An instrumental post-metal album filled with amazing soundscapes and tension that doesn’t let go.
Favorite track: S |
| 4 |  | Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp a Butterfly
Hip-hop
What can be said about this album has probably already been said 1000 times over. However, in my opinion, I do consider this a modern rap classic regardless of what those have to say about it.
Favorite track: These Walls |
| 3 |  | Snakefeast
The Pythoness
Black metal/Sludge/jazz
A mix of just about everything with some of the most ear shattering vocals I’ve come across this year. This album also has some of the best bass production I’ve ever heard and it stays in the forefront instead of drowned out by other instruments. This needs to be done more
Favorite track: Golem |
| 2 |  | mewithoutYou
Pale Horses
Post-hardcore/indie rock (Runner-up AOTY)
What mewithoutyou accomplished is another amazing record. A captivating release that embraces outstanding lyrics, beautiful composition, and amazing detail for verses and choruses that brings forth such emotion and passion.
Favorite track: Red Cow |
| 1 |  | So Hideous
Laurestine
Black metal/post-rock (AOTY)
So Hideous have crafted the best album in my opinion to come out this year. One moment you’re being bashed with an impressive soundscape of horns, sweeping guitars, and orchestra to a much slower paced buildup to later be brought back into the former. It doesn’t wait long to throw you into these walls of beautiful noise either but instead embraces it. What’s even better is each song on here seamlessly flows into the next free of error until the final climax of the album finishing off such a masterfully well-done piece of blended genres. The orchestra/string sections scattered throughout this album fit so perfectly and help craft these outstanding compositions. The way this is done so effortlessly and composed so well is breathtaking and the reason I was glued to this release and remain such an important record to me for this year and more to come.
Favorite track: Relinquish |
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