Top 20 Albums Of 2011
Meh, it's about time to get this done. |
| 1 |  | Dance Gavin Dance
Downtown Battle Mountain II
Addictive, progressive, funky, aggressive, comforting, heart-melting and warm are the attributes of this album.
I personally prefer this DGD album the most. It's just so amazing and it never gets dull. It just pumps me with
energy and desire to continue with my social life, and transcending over negativity. |
| 2 |  | Oranssi Pazuzu
Kosmonument
Groovy, atmospheric, heavy, psychedelic, progressive and dark. Those amazing elements are mixed together
and Kosmonument has been created. Only flaw is that there are highlights and tracks that feel like interludes.
But the lyrics fill that void. Simply marvelous. |
| 3 |  | Cormorant
Dwellings
Really artistic and beautiful. The lyrics are aggressive and powerful. I enjoyed this album so much! Cormorant
was my Ne Obliviscaris of 2011 (Of course back then I didn't know about it). It just brings bands like Agalloch
and Coheed&Cambria to my mind. |
| 4 |  | Prurient
Bermuda Drain
Cold, comforting and truthful. It's message feels like Bodhisattva. I could just loop this all time. It's so solid!
So good! I love the attacking lyrics, dark and cold spoken words and twisting electronics. Truly enjoyable
masterpiece... |
| 5 |  | The War on Drugs
Slave Ambient
Really good stuff for the summer. Feels a little bit like a band from the 50s or 60s. But I like it how they mix
shoegaze/post-rock elements there. There are few addictive tracks, I don't think that the songwriting was that
good. But then again, the instrumentation is flawless. |
| 6 |  | The Browning
Burn This World
Very interesting. It feels like I've experienced it before, but I haven't. It's fresh yet nothing new. Even though
the latter tracks aren't as good as the ones before them (like Bloodlust and Time Will Tell) it's still pretty
satisfying. Very good combo. |
| 7 |  | Ulver
Wars of the Roses
I wasn't really into this during the first time. But later it's artistry and semi-psychedelic and neoclassic
soundscape got to me. It has some gorgeous singing, but it still cannot reach the level of Shadows of the Sun.
It's still an amazing "sequel" to the album before. Recommended. |
| 8 | | We Came As Romans
Understanding What We've Grown To Be
To Plant A Seed wasn't really all that exciting. This album in the other hand, oh man! UWWGTB is heavy,
symphonic yet melodic and light at the same time. It has a nice positive message that is brought through soft
vocals. I just can really see myself in this album. |
| 9 |  | Ozric Tentacles
Paper Monkeys
Paper Monkeys continues the thing where Magick Valley left. The same more dancefloor tuney heavy
psychedelic rock -music. But I prefer this a lot more because it has addictive hooks and very good world music
influence (which is present in every Oz album tho). |
| 10 |  | CunninLynguists
Oneirology
First I really didn't understand this album, it had mythology and social matters fused with lucid dreaming and
confusion. It was a stellar album yet very un-enjoyable at first. But later it got me. Very dark, moody and
catchy. Also recommended heavily, CL quality guaranteed. |
| 11 |  | August Burns Red
Leveler
Leveler is seen as a collection of previous work in the frame of Constellations. It did bring something new
also, and I know they are kind of stuck in that whole Metalcore -shenanigans, but I really like this album, it
has jolly and heavy melodies worth checking out. |
| 12 |  | Thundercat
The Golden Age of Apocalypse
I was totally addicted to this and the whole BRAINFEEDER -label when this was released. I used to listen to it
everywhere. It's simple and complex. Tons of groove, psychedelia and stuff about love. Might seem cliché but
I love the basslines. Vocals are also amusing and pleasing at the same time. |
| 13 |  | Thy Catafalque
Rengeteg
Time and space are weaved together once more when Thy Catafalque rocks the continuum again. This
enjoyable album is Fantasy metal at it's prime. A definite recommendations for anyone fan of Alcest or more
exotic-metal. This makes Hungarian sound like an elvish language. |
| 14 |  | Ixion
To the Void
IXION was a new doom metal band to me, I just thought it was unique since it wasn't space black metal, but
more delicate, indulging easy-listening metal like Katatonia, also Swallow the Sun comes in mind. This is a
great release from the French metal -scene. |
| 15 |  | Wolves In The Throne Room
Celestial Lineage
Now when I come to think of it this is mostly new found forest psychedelia driven into the frame of Diadem of
12 Stars and slight Two Hunters influence in the background, nevertheless there are moments that make this
a very good album, but not the best from WITTR, still worth the listening. |
| 16 |  | Blood Stain Child
Epsilon
This album didn't quite catch my interest during the first time, mostly because Violator was gone and there
was a new unknown singer in the band (SOPHIA). Still I like the vocals both male and female. It reminds me a
lot of Mozaiq, but doesn't quite reach the same level. But amazing! |
| 17 |  | Nujabes
Spiritual State
My first impressions to this album were: Yay!, graverobbing and beautiful. This isn't the best album from
Nujabes, no. But what makes this diverse is the feel like he's more closer than ever to the listener. There are
some catchy great tunes here. Definite check out for fans of Jazz-hop. |
| 18 |  | Hecq
Avenger
This was the most unexpected turn that can be considered from an artist like Hecq. I like this album a lot. It
diverses from the other stuff with its more uplifting and aggressive movement. I personally thought that all
the previous albums were kinda dull compared to this. Superb! |
| 19 |  | Carbon Based Lifeforms
Twentythree
CBL is one of those artists that always end up on my lists. I love the whole Ultimae -label, but this album was
a somewhat of a disappointment. The underwater creature crawled to the land on Interloper and now evolved
into a star-gazing human being on this album. Full of life and science. |
| 20 |  | Iskald
The Sun I Carried Alone
The combo of thrash and black metal instantly bring Absu in my mind. This band or should I say album is
nothing like them. It has more of that cold north/middle European winter sound to it, which is good. Unique,
heavy and drifting work of art that is good choice to start listening to this genre. |
|
