Average Rating: 3.57 Rating Variance: 0.24 Objectivity Score: 69% (Fairly Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicPeter Gabriel Passion OST4.5 superbKid Cudi Man on the Moon III: The ChosenManchester Orchestra The Million Masks of GodManchester Orchestra The Valley of VisionI get more out of it with each listen. Perhaps not as varied as the past couple albums, but I love the callbacks included throughout.Peter Gabriel i/oPoets of the Fall GhostlightThis one dropped with very little fanfare, to my surprise. It grabbed me right from the start and is easily one of my favorite releases of the year to date.Starset VesselsStarset Vessels 2.0The Birthday Massacre Under Your SpellThe Birthday Massacre Pins and NeedlesThe Birthday Massacre FascinationConsistently great as always! Chibi's vocals are on point, probably the best they've been since Hide and Seek.The Gathering MandylionThe Gathering Nighttime Birds4.0 excellentAlter Bridge Walk The SkySolid musicianship and a lot of surprising variety, all built on an energetic foundation that remains potent throughout the entire effort. I'll need to listen to it a few more times to pick out any specific highlight tracks, but that speaks to the high quality.As December Falls Everything's On Fire But I'm FineAs December Falls Join The ClubBig Big Train The Likes Of UsCharlotte Wessels The ObsessionCHVRCHES Screen ViolenceCrippled Black Phoenix EllengaestCrippled Black Phoenix BanefyreCrippled Black Phoenix The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its NatureDavid Gilmour Luck And StrangeDream Theater Distance Over TimeEliza and The Delusionals Make It Feel Like The GardenEnvy of None Envy of NoneI wasn't sure what to expect of this project, but it exceeded my expectations. The more I listen to it, the more I enjoy the variety and depth of what it offers. Really hope we see more out of this iineup.Envy of None Stygian WavzGarbage Let All That We Imagine Be the LightGreen Carnation A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of MelancholiaGunship Dark All DayGunship UnicornWell worth the wait! Hard for me to pick my favorites just yet.Helga (SWE) Wrapped in MistKansas The Absence Οf PresenceA shockingly good prog-rock album! I found this to be one of the most consistently enjoyable albums of the year, which I was not anticipating at all.Lunatic Soul The World Under The UnsunMakari Wave MachineMarillion An Hour Before It's DarkMNQN MNQNMogwai The Bad FireNightwish YesterwyndeNine Inch Nails Tron: Ares OSTNothing More SpiritsPhantogram Memory Of A DayQueensryche Digital Noise AllianceSammy Hagar and the Circle Crazy TimesSilversun Pickups Physical ThrillsSixpence None the Richer Rosemary HillStarset SILOSStarset HorizonsStarset TransmissionsSteve Hackett The Circus and the NightwhaleTemples Other StructuresThe Birthday Massacre Hide and SeekThe Birthday Massacre VioletThe Birthday Massacre DiamondsThe Birthday Massacre PathwaysThe Cure Songs of a Lost WorldThe Dark Element Songs The Night SingsI had my doubts that they could replicate the success of the first album, but track after track, they managed to pull it off!The Gathering Beautiful DistortionThe Last Dinner Party From The PyreThe Night Flight Orchestra Give Us The MoonThe Pineapple Thief It Leads To ThisVNV Nation Electric SunVNV Nation ConstructYes Mirror to the SkyProbably their best since Fly From Here or possibly Magnification. A surprisingly strong collection of songs!3.5 greatAllen/Olzon Army Of DreamersAlter Bridge Pawns and KingsAmaranthe The CatalystAnette Olzon StrongStarts off really well, and just gets stronger as it goes!Anneke van Giersbergen DriveAs December Falls Happier.Asia AuraBrian Eno ForeverandevernomoreBroken Social Scene Let's Try the After - Vol. 2Charlotte Wessels Tales From The Six Feet UnderDavid Byrne Who Is The Sky?Deep Purple =1Delain Dark WatersDelerium SignsDownes Braide Association Celestial SongsDream Theater A Change Of SeasonsDream Theater A View From The Top Of The WorldEddie Vedder EarthlingFight the Fade Fight The FadeThis band deserves a lot more recognition than they appear to be receiving. I wouldn't necessarily say that they are breaking new ground, but they are certainly refining elements that other bands have struggled to balance.Floor Jansen ParagonNot necessarily what one would expect, given her involvement with After Forever and Nightwish, but it makes sense that these more pop-oriented songs would make for a better solo product.Foo Fighters But Here We AreGarbage No Gods No MastersGazpacho Magic 8-BallGhost (SWE) SkeletáGod Is an Astronaut Ghost Tapes #10God Is an Astronaut EmbersHalestorm EverestHawkwind Stories from Time and SpaceJames LaBrie Beautiful Shade Of GreyJuice WRLD Legends Never DieLana Del Rey Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean BlvdLauren Mayberry Vicious CreatureLil Yachty Let's Start Here.Magic Pie MaestroMarillion Holidays In EdenMarillion BraveMeer Wheels Within WheelsMetric Formentera IIMondo Drag Through The HourglassMorrissey I Am Not a Dog on a ChainI have to wonder how many of these ratings are for the man's politics vs. the actual music. It's very difficult to separate an artist's views from their output, especially when those views are abhorrent. That said, I was surprised at how listenable this album was compared to the past few releases. Muse DronesMuse Will of the PeopleParamore This Is WhyPattern-Seeking Animals Friend of All CreaturesPearl Jam Dark MatterPhantom Elite TitaniumQueensryche The VerdictExactly what it needed to be. Not necessarily anything transcendent, but a solid collection of songs that delivers the Queensryche flavor.Rival Sons DarkfighterRonnie Atkins Make It CountRonnie Atkins TrinitySammy Hagar and the Circle Space BetweenWhen it comes to Hagar's brand of music, this is pretty solid if a bit predictable. What impresses is that this sounds like it could have come out at any point in his long solo career, which considering his age, is hard to fathom.Season Of Ghosts The Human ParadoxSilversun Pickups Widow's WeedsGreat on the first listen, but I have a feeling it will end up even higher by the time I've given it a few spins.Spiritbox Eternal BlueSpiritbox The Fear of FearI like the variety on this album. Some very heavy tracks, some others more atmospheric, but all recognizably Spiritbox. Their specific style has the potential to become stale over time, but they haven't hit that point yet for me. Spiritbox Tsunami SeaStarset DivisionsSteve Howe Love IsSteve Howe GuitarscapeSteven Wilson The OverviewStolen Babies NaughtStyx Crash Of The CrownThe Anix RevengeThe Anix NightvisionThe Cranberries In the EndThe Flower Kings Look At You NowThe Flower Kings LoveThe Gathering DisclosureThe Killers Pressure MachineThe Night Flight Orchestra Aeromantic IIIf you are already familiar with NFO, then this is more of what they excel at producing. Great release!The Psychedelic Furs Made of RainTori Amos Ocean to OceanVNV Nation NoireI was a bit concerned given the long wait for new material, but this is a pretty solid effort!Within Temptation ResistI think it all comes down to expectations. Within Temptation has always been blending pop, orchestration, and heavier elements. This isn't too far afield from Stand My Ground, for example, and how many albums ago was that? So this is exactly what I've come to expect from the band, but frankly with a lot more energy than they've injected into things for quite some time. Definitely a step up from Hydra!rWithin Temptation Bleed OutWytch Hazel V: LamentationsYes The QuestI was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Definitely a step up from Heaven & Earth. It is unapologetically "prog rock", very album-oriented. I look forward to how some of these songs will continue to grow on me.3.0 goodAmaranthe ManifestExactly the kind of cheesy fun that I was expecting from this band.Asia ArenaBoston Manor GlueBring Me The Horizon amoBroken Social Scene Let's Try the After - Vol. 1It's a nice little slice of BSS, but feels like it's over before it can really get going.Dave Matthews Band Walk Around the MoonSeems very much like everything they've put out over the last 20 years. Some highlights here and there, like "Madman's Eyes", but I can see myself forgetting about a lot of these songs.Dayseeker Creature in the Black NightDown 'n' Outz This Is How We RollThis is the first I've heard of this band, and I was pleasantly surprised. There are a few generic rockers in the mix, but throughout there are also callbacks to the 1970s era of psychodelic pop and rock that sound like they shouldn't belong but serve to give the whole album a sense of fun that is often lost in more "serious" projects.Duran Duran Future PastFight the Fade In Love. in Hope. in Peace.I would love to give this a higher rating, since there is a wide variety of styles on this album and most of the time, it works. But it doesn't quite feel cohesive and the remarkably short running time means they only really hit their stride in a second half that feels like it needs a little more room to breathe.Fish SuitsFoo Fighters Medicine at MidnightFront Line Assembly Mechanical SoulHayley Williams Petals for ArmorHelalyn Flowers NyctophiliaI enjoy the vocals and the gothic stylings enough to overlook some of the tired pop elements. It feels like they are aspiring to the lush sounds of The Birthday Massacre but falling short with the reliance on synth-pop production.I:Scintilla SwayedThere are definitely some strong moments, which makes it worth a listen for fans (or fans of bands of a similar sound), but there are also moments that feel sloppy or just shy of the intended mark.Jon Anderson 1000 Hands: Chapter OneThis is vintage solo Jon Anderson, which means that it was a miracle that the album was even completed at all, and it's ultimately a bit scattershot and somewhat random, as befitting the production process and the long gestation of many of the songs/ideas. The vocals are solid, the lyrics are fairly standard Anderson fare, and the music has some intriguing elements despite being all over the map. It's all very pleasant, but this is not Yes, so don't expect anything too heavy or edgy musically. Then again, if you're looking into Jon Anderson album, it's unlikely you were expecting that in the first place!Lacuna Coil Black AnimaThere are some nice highlight tracks and there is definitely some energy there, but I have to agree with those who say that it suffers from a lot of trudging sameness throughout.Linkin Park From ZeroLloyd Cole On PainMarko Hietala Pyre Of The Black HeartIt's definitely not as polished as a Nightwish project, but the bass is pretty prominent (as one would expect) and there is a palpable sincerity that makes the cheesiness a bit more palatable.Muse Simulation TheoryPhantom Elite Blue BloodA few great tracks, but this one doesn't have the hooks that previous releases had.Project Vela Disconnected: Special EditionThe band is little more than a transparent attempt to replicate the more successful schtick of Starset, but that doesn't meant that there's a lot of potential to become something a bit more distinct. The songwriting stumbles here and there, but considering this is an expansion of their initial "proof of concept" EP, that's forgivable.Season Of Ghosts A Leap Of FaithSome great songs, but overall, it feels like there is a layer of creativity that has been lost since The Human Paradox...Sting The BridgeThe Last Dinner Party Prelude to EcstasyThe Pretty Reckless Death By Rock and Roll2.5 averageBreaking Benjamin EmberThe biggest problem with this album is the incredibly muddy production. Anything truly interesting gets buried in a sludge of noise.Breaking Benjamin AuroraEvanescence The Bitter TruthKeane Cause and EffectMy first impression upon a full listen was that this doesn't feel like an album that marks a triumphant return after a long hiatus. It feels like an album that they might have produced right before their hiatus, when creativity was running dry. All of the songs are perfectly serviceable Keane, but at the same time, none of the tracks stand out as either memorable or challenging when compared to the existing Keane catalogue. It feels like they played it incredibly safe, which is not what I was hoping for when they announced a new album.Lacuna Coil Sleepless EmpireLana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell!Lana Del Rey Blue BanistersMartin Gore The Third ChimpanzeeRob Zombie The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse ConspiracySteve Hackett Surrender of SilenceThe Who WhoVanessa Carlton Love Is An ArtAn album that just feels like it blends together into one long monotonous work. There's only one or two moments towards the end that seem to have a pulse, like "The Only Way to Love", "Salesman", and "Miner's Canary". But it is a long road to those better songs.
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