Jacob Hollows' Top 50 of '15
It's been a busy year, and whether it be horrible student teaching, wedding planning, or finding employment, music hasn't been a big priority for me. What I have, therefore, is a list not as refined as I would normally have. So, please enjoy, and provide feedback as much as you'd like. |
| 50 |  | Enterprise Earth
Patient 0
Relying on unrelenting brutality, technical leads, and flashes of ambience, spearheaded by vicious vocals, this Washington state sextet utilizes cohesion and powerful songwriting to convey their apocalyptic worldview. |
| 49 |  | Darke Complex
Widow
The God-awful trend these days is to combine metalcore or deathcore with nu-metal. While this elusive quartet (formerly known as Widow) may not reinvent the wheel in this scene, their first "mainstream" EP shows an effective combination of unrelenting hardcore and smooth hip-hop. |
| 48 |  | CHON
Grow
If Scale the Summit and Animals as Leaders had a baby, it would be CHON. This California instrumental trio combines lush sustaining melodies with technical progressive metal in delicious album that shows an excellent first step for this collective. |
| 47 |  | William Fitzsimmons
Pittsburgh
Shedding the Grey's Anatomy feature singer/songwriter reputation, this album capitalizes upon lo-fi gloominess and mournful tones, representing a more fitting direction for our favorite heavily bearded troubadour. |
| 46 |  | Man Overboard
Heavy Love
Reigniting the torch of pop/punk after a string of mediocre releases, these New Jersey natives provide a batch of well-written, toe-tapping punk tunes. |
| 45 |  | Feared
Synder
A fierce combination of crunchy death metal and speedy thrash in the vein of DevilDriver or Revocation, these Swedish veterans showcase their own take on death metal prowess with their sixth release since 2010. |
| 44 |  | Cane Hill
Cane Hill
Showcasing the most effective metalcore/nu-metal hybrid of 2015, this Louisiana quintet delivers crushingly heavy tunes with an eerie edge, that serve as a taunting taste of what's to come. |
| 43 |  | Hope Drone
Cloak of Ash
A powerful and mysterious blend of folk-influenced "Cascadian" black metal (a la Agalloch) and post-black dynamics (a la Altar of Plagues), these Aussies create the simultaneous fury and eye of the storm through furious tremolo, blastbeats, ambience, and visceral percussion. |
| 42 |  | Melody Gardot
Currency of Man
Her most personal album to date, this Philadelphia seductress acknowledges her jazz/big band roots while dabbling in folk and atmosphere to excellently strange and appropriately avant-garde results. |
| 41 |  | Murdock
Dead Lung
In an already crowded mathcore scene, these manic Irishment separate themselves from the pack by utilizing a raw hardcore approach and above average arrangement to create a spastic and angry album worthy of replay. |
| 40 |  | False
Untitled
Fierce female-fronted black metal, this Minnesota group swung in from seemingly nowhere to grab spots on year-end lists everywhere with their unrelentingly sinister and densely atmospheric debut LP that needs only to hone direction and purpose to create the monumental album they are capable of. |
| 39 |  | Heart of a Coward
Deliverance
Djent is no longer a gimmick to this British five-piece. While "Severance" was effective, its thick production value hindered the group from capitalizing upon their inherent angst. Their third full-length finds them utilizing dynamics, powerful lyrics, and a multitude of influences, to discover a refreshed form of metalcore. |
| 38 |  | Vola
Inmazes
Primarily combining Meshuggah-esque prog metal with Depeche Mode-eque indie rock, this Danish foursome delivers an artistically heavy yet subtly restrained debut, leaving us anxious for what more is in store for this group. |
| 37 |  | A Night in Texas
The God Delusion
Relentlessly brutal and consistently nihilistic, this (contrary to the group's namesake) Australian curmudgeon collective utilizes wicked riffs, punishing blastbeats, and intimidating vocals to convince us that God is dead and we have killed him. |
| 36 |  | A Swarm of the Sun
The Rifts
A melancholic hybrid of Russian Circles style post-metal and Katatonia style depressive rock with mournful doom influences, this Swedish duo's new creation is a vulnerable and evocative experience. |
| 35 |  | Make Them Suffer
Old Souls
A delicious medley of the symphonic deathcore of "Neverbloom" and the melodic hardcore of previously released single "Let Me In", this sophomore LP brings dramatic and menacing yet jolly good fun from down under. |
| 34 |  | Frontierer
Orange Mathematics
These angry Scots' first full-length proves an exercise in mathcore brutality, enhanced by crunchy production, desperate vocals, and impressive instrumental cohesion. |
| 33 |  | Vanum
Realm of Sacrifice
A potent "superduo" from American black metal mainstays Fell Voices and Ash Borer, this Profound Lore debut displays songwriting proficiency, brutal instrumentals, and dense atmospherics to menacing yet alluring results. |
| 32 |  | Life of Dillon
Prologue
Effortlessly combining RnB, indie folk, and pop, with reggae influences, to infectious results, this London trio charges forth with banjo, beats, and dual tenor/baritone vocals in a summery debut EP that excites listeners for whatever lies ahead. |
| 31 |  | SUMAC
The Deal
What happens when you combine trudging post-metal with sporadic hardcore percussion? This wonderful sludgy mess, whose personnel consists of Isis' Aaron Turner, Baptists' Nick Yacyshyn, and (sometimes) Russian Circles' Brian Cook. |
| 30 |  | Tangled Thoughts of Leaving
Yield to Despair
Poignant yet restrained metal-influenced post-rock, these up-and-coming Australians' sophomore effort displays fuzzy drone aesthetics, piano-driven melodies, and post-metal distortion to illustrate a spectrum of emotions. |
| 29 |  | Thy Art Is Murder
Holy War
Building upon its "hateful" predecessor, these deathcore mainstays incorporate doom and honed ambience into their punishing sound to create a brutal album worthy of the controversy surrounding its cover and content. |
| 28 |  | Algiers
Algiers
Combining RnB vocals with fuzzy post-punk aesthetics, this international trio creates an artfully dark and viscerally ambient debut that deserves spots on year-end lists everywhere. |
| 27 |  | The Plot In You
Happiness In Self Destruction
While the approach of the miserable "Could You Watch Your Children Burn" remains largely the same, it is channeled into more fitting and appropriate content, resulting in a desperate story of regret, heartbreak, and decay, spearheaded by Landon Tewers' incredible assorted vocal approaches. The result is the Ohio act's best album to date. |
| 26 |  | Slow Meadow
Slow Meadow
Heavily influenced by post-rock stalwarts Hammock (who are featured twice on this album), this Texan one-man act creates strikingly beautiful ambient soundscapes with post-rock dynamics and orchestral flourishes in an album that contains some of the most transcendental melodies of the year. |
| 25 |  | Fit for an Autopsy
Absolute Hope Absolute Hell
American deathcore quintet proves stronger than ever after Nate Johnson's departure from vocals. New growler Joe Badolato and company incorporate more progressive influences into their trademark blistering sound, resulting in the best deathcore release of 2015. |
| 24 |  | VVOVNDS
Descending Flesh
After two short demos and a split with Amenra ("The Abyss Stares Back" series), this elusive Belgian "negative hardcore" act finally releases a debut that satisfies all expectations with eleven tar-black tunes of fierce hardcore steeped in black metal with sludge influence. |
| 23 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
'Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress'
Likely to stand alongside "Yanqui U.X.O." in terms of its oddity among these Canadian post-rock giants' canon, it serves as vastly experimental but also triumphantly sanguine and artistically immediate, depicting beauty from the ashes with chaotic instrumentals and foundational drones. |
| 22 |  | Abyssal
Antikatastaseis
Displaying more blackened death metal than before, this ambiguous British one-man act's (the mysterious G.D.C.) third full-length and Profound Lore debut displays honed songwriting and a deadly enactment of death/black fusion that hearkens back to debut "Denouement." |
| 21 |  | Amorphis
Under the Red Cloud
Finnish veterans return with their twelfth full-length, again utilizing their unique hybrid of folk and melodic death metal that sounds neither tacky nor pretentious. Coupled with Tomi Koivusaari's unique baritone croon and vicious death growl, this release stands as their best since "Silent Waters." |
| 20 |  | Cult Leader
Lightless Walk
No longer "the band that used to be Gaza", two competent but unspectacular EP's in their wake, the reformed Utah grindcore act has put together a surprisingly effective album, full of punishing hardcore/grind, eerie atmosphere, and hints of sludge. |
| 19 |  | Sulphur Aeon
Gateway to the Antisphere
While debut "Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide" was solid, too many influences left the band's identity in shambles (too ambient, too technical, too old school, etc. all at the same time), our favorite German Lovecraftians offer an immensely honed sophomore album that balances all influences for a riff-based, atmospheric, and evocative experience. |
| 18 |  | Kauan
Sorni Nai
Illustrating in equal parts the horror, mystery, tragedy, and beauty of the Dyatlov Pass incident, this Russian collective combines folk, post-rock, gothic and black metal, and elements of classical, in their sixth full-length that not only tells the story but immerses listeners in the brutal yet beautiful setting of the cold Russian wilderness. |
| 17 |  | Vince Staples
Summertime '06
I'm ordinarily not a fan of rap, but this Long Beach artist blew me away with deeply engaging lyrics, incredible storytelling delivery, and bleak atmosphere. The result is a harrowing tale of crisis, regret, and loneliness. |
| 16 |  | Haste the Day
Coward
The hype surrounding this thing was ridiculous. We all were hoping for a combination of the energetic technicality of "Attack of the Wolf King" and the nostalgic throwback quality of "When Everything Falls", and in many ways the suppositions are met. But it takes many cues from vocalist Jimmy Ryan's side project, Trenches, in a surprisingly atmospheric and restrained release that satisfies fans' expectations and more. |
| 15 |  | The World Is a Beautiful Place...
Harmlessness
Sporting a more stripped down approach than its predecessor, "Whenever, If Ever", the sophomore LP of this Connecticut emo collective shows more vulnerability and raw post-rock dynamics rather than lushness and nostalgia, resulting in an intensely emotional yet subtle listen. |
| 14 |  | Intronaut
The Direction of Last Things
Injecting tempo and energy into their trademark post-metal sound, this California quartet offers a return to harsh vocals (after the lukewarm approach of "Habitual Levitations"), more instrumental and rhythmic technicality, and a fresh approach to their archaic themes. |
| 13 |  | August Burns Red
Found in Far Away Places
The darker flipside to "Rescue & Restore" that sees a subtle return to the wild experimentation of "Leveler" but in a far more successful way. Top-notch performances, powerful songwriting, and well-placed variety contribute to these Pennsylvania metalcore veterans' high quality addition to their already outstanding discography. |
| 12 |  | Ethereal Shroud
They Became the Falling Ash
When such a combination of black metal and funeral doom is announced, depressive acts such as Nortt or Elysian Blaze come to mind; not this majestically melodic and transcendentally evocative piece of work by fellow Sputniker Dark Noctus. The black and doom serve as framework, while orchestral, choral, and ambient flourishes lead the beautiful charge. |
| 11 |  | Panopticon
Autumn Eternal
Austin Lunn has always accurately reflected folk music geographically through his interpretation of black metal, and his new venture stands as the counterpart to last year's Scandinavian-flavored "Roads to the North", as it focuses on New England folk flourishes. As experimental as "Kentucky" but a far more successful fusion, the album precisely depicts the season of its namesake, effectively and beautifully. |
| 10 |  | Of Virtue
Salvation
Building upon what made debut "Heartsounds" so effective, honing melodies, lyrics, and dynamics, this Michigan metalcore quintet break away from their Misery Signals soundalike template in an album equally cathartic as it is reflective. |
| 9 |  | Ahab
The Boats Of The Glen Carrig
Honing the progressive tendencies of predecessor "The Giant" and incorporating more Opeth-esque duality to their trademark funeral doom sound, this "Nautik doom" German act creates a thoughtful yet crushing release, full of powerful dual vocals, maritime atmosphere, refreshing progressive flourishes, and a crisp and clean production. |
| 8 |  | Dark Sermon
The Oracle
While debut "In Tongues" served to be an innovative interpretation of blackened death metal and deathcore fusion, this Florida four-piece offers a unique sophomore effort that channels more of the former in a haunting and cerebral release full of challenging riffs, honed songwriting, sinister vocals, and eerie blackened atmosphere. |
| 7 |  | Midnight Odyssey
Shards of Silver Fade
Extending black metal beyond the traditional "kvlt" confines, this Australian one-man act creates an incredible sophomore full-length, illustrating the empty openness and frigid cold of space with hyper-melodic symphonic ambience, powerful variety of vocals, and chilly and echoing production. The result is a megalithic and ethereal listen that takes its time in a journey across the stars. |
| 6 |  | Crooks
Are We All The Same Distance Apart
A natural progression from debut EP "Nevermore", this British act acknowledges their melodic hardcore origins while embracing new rock/post-hardcore direction. Armed with excellently cathartic and vulnerable vocals and passionately frantic instrumentals, the first LP showcases desperation at its finest. |
| 5 |  | Desolate Shrine
The Heart of the Netherworld
While sophomore effort "The Sanctum of Human Darkness" succeeded in separating this Finnish trio from the pack of Ulcerate soundalikes, their third effort proves to hone their trademark sound, sporting immense dynamics and eerie ambience alongside their grimy death metal approach. The result is ambitious, visceral, and evocative--the best death metal album of the year. |
| 4 |  | Leviathan
Scar Sighted
Wrest finally creates an album that builds upon every moment of glory hinted at in his last four LP's. This album showcases superior songwriting, top-notch instrumentation, effectively thick and sludgy production, and subtle restraint to create an eerie, punishing, and sinister experience, channeling all the subgenre's nuances in the year's best black metal album. |
| 3 |  | Izah
Sistere
Incredibly diverse, yet thematically cohesive, it's hard to believe this is Izah's first full-length. Simultaneously crushingly emotional and densely elaborate, this Dutch collective hearkens to and challenges the post-metal stalwarts, creating one of the best albums of the year and of the genre. |
| 2 |  | Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp a Butterfly
Although, again, not a fan of rap, it would be folly to ignore the importance and influence of this Compton's poet's third full-length. An existential crisis in musical form that discusses race, ethnicity, culture, and conflict, Lamar utilizes a variety of influences, including spoken word and jazz, to create a culture of uncertainty and poverty. Musically outstanding and culturally indispensable. |
| 1 |  | We Lost the Sea
Departure Songs
Although rendered mute by vocalist Chris Torpey's suicide last year, the remaining members create a tribute to his memory in a post-rock album devoted to "noble failures." Instrumentally layered, dynamically climactic, subtly melodic, and artistically conscious, this album not only stands as the year's best and most emotional release, it also stands testament to the power of instrumental music and to the inevitable realization of human frailty. |
|
