Music It's the End of the Year (Decade?) - Time for your Top Albums of the Year!

[Keyser_Soze]

In case you missed it, here's the 2018 top albums list - for the first time ever we came to a consensus #1! (Well me and @GeneticBlueprint make a consensus I suppose)

 

Post your lists, however many you want.

 

I'll make my claim like always I'll have a list in a timely manner then post it super late.

 

I was thinking we could also do a top 10 of the decade too, but maybe save it for another thread.

[thewhyteboar]

I liked Igor a lot.

[Guest]

Radiohead - OK Computer

[GeneticBlueprint]

1 hour ago, Keyser_Soze said:

@GeneticBlueprint

I was thinking we could also do a top 10 of the decade too, but maybe save it for another thread.

 

Heh. I was literally preparing two lists. My top of the year and of the decade. Didn't want to create a thread until I finished :P

[Keyser_Soze]

8 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

 

Heh. I was literally preparing two lists. My top of the year and of the decade. Didn't want to create a thread until I finished :P

 

Looking forward to them!

[johnny]

Norman Fucking Rockwell - Lana del Rey 

 

album of the decade is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West 

[SimpleG]

Immortal Bird- Thrives On Neglect

Gatecreeper- Deserted

Venom Prison- Samsara

Full Of Hell- Weeping Choir

 

[DPCyric]

Last year I couldn't get a list together not much really worked for me... this year however has been a lot better so when I get some free time (Christmas?) expect a list from me!

 

Edit: An albums of the decade list will probably be really easy for me 

[TheLeon]

I think I've only listened to one complete 2019 album, and it was disappointing (Bon Iver - i,i)

[Iculus]

Billie Eiish - When we all fall asleep, where do we go

 

 

 

Poppy - Concrete

 

 

[Emblazon]

Does Hamilton count? @Anzo

[DPCyric]

I don't have time for a full write up currently but I will get started:

 

10. KMFDM- Paradise

 

 

9. Bent Knee- You Know What They Mean

 

 

8. BASK- III

 

 

7. Devin Townsend- Empath

 

 

6. Jiner- Macro

 

 

5. Tool- Fear Inoculum 

 

After all these years they couldn't even get a music video ready? The everyone at Maynard is at the top of their game here but sadly the lack of enthusiasm on Maynard's part holds this album back.

 

4. Dream Theater- Distance Over Time

 

 

3. Opeth- In Cauda Venenum 

 

 

2. Alcest- Spiritual Instinct

 

 

1. BORKNAGAR= True North

 

 

 

Honorable Mention:

 

Cellar Darling- The Spell

 

 

 

There were a lot of bands at the top of their game this year it is hard leaving off the new Wilderun, Tyr, Spirit Adrift and Soilwork especial

[Keyser_Soze]

Yeah Soilwork is an interesting one. I like that you included Cellar Darling. I introduced them to my Swiss friend and she really liked them.

[Bloodporne]

Fuck, the one I was going to post came out in October 2017 

[Anzo]

On 12/12/2019 at 7:40 AM, Emblazon said:

Does Hamilton count? @Anzo

Of the decade? Sure!

This year? Wellllll.....

[Emblazon]

12 minutes ago, Anzo said:

Of the decade? Sure!

This year? Wellllll.....

Yeah, I kinda misread it because of the movie of the decade thread. Oh well, Hamilton was so good it’s still the best album of 2019.

 

[DPCyric]

On 12/13/2019 at 10:35 AM, Keyser_Soze said:

Yeah Soilwork is an interesting one. I like that you included Cellar Darling. I introduced them to my Swiss friend and she really liked them.

 

Funny enough I have to cut Cellar Darling because I made my Top 10 in haste and didn't realize how amazing the new Borknagar album is. Also are we going to start a new thread for Top 10 of the decade? I had my list but then found out something I thought came out prior to this decade in fact came out this decade and I have to work it in!

[Keyser_Soze]

15 minutes ago, DPCyric said:

 

 Also are we going to start a new thread for Top 10 of the decade?

 

I think so. At least @GeneticBlueprint gave me that impression.

[GeneticBlueprint]

3 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

I think so. At least @GeneticBlueprint gave me that impression.

I'll be making two posts before the end of the year. One with my top of 2019 and one with my top of the decade. 

[DPCyric]

On 12/16/2019 at 9:48 AM, GeneticBlueprint said:

I'll be making two posts before the end of the year. One with my top of 2019 and one with my top of the decade. 

Awesome my top 10 of the decade is fairly easy compared to choosing 10 this year (those 10 aren't in any order btw I'm still working on that). I have 9 out of my 10 carved in stone but I'm still debating on how much I like the new Tool.

[GeneticBlueprint]

GB's top 10 of 2019

 

10. As I Lay Dying - Shaped by Fire

 

FFO: Catchy choruses, not killing your S.O.

The title of the album and most of the songs and lyrical content are a little (re: a lot) on the nose with this release if you’re familiar with the drama that went down in 2013 and beyond with the vocalist. If you’re not go ahead and have fun Googling that. As I Lay Dying was always the best at breakdowns and guitar riffs being pummeled by double bass drums. And this album proves they’re still the crème de la crème when it comes to that. And that’s the shit that gets my blood pumping. The anthemy choruses that have been a staple since 2007’s An Ocean Between Us are back as well.

 

 

 

9. Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror

 

FFO: bouncy synths, glassy guitars

I really enjoyed Drab Majesty’s 2017 release The Demonstration. It took a tiny bit of synthwave and put it in a blender with The Cure, then strained out all of the latter’s pulp. Modern Mirror continues that but has refined the process even more. It’s a gothy, poppy, glittery dark dream.

 

 

 

8. Astronoid - Astronoid

 

FFO: The four classical elements, gazing at shoes

Their 2016 album Air was my #4 in 2016 so it’s no surprise that their latest album is somewhere in my top 10. As will be mentioned other places on this list black metal is best when it’s diluted. In its pure form it consists of horrible production, inane repetitive tweedling guitars, cheesy stereotypical lyrical content and theatrics, and vocals that, if personified, would and should be bullied in school. This album has all of those elements, but in a different fashion. And it just works for some reason.

 

 

 

7. Xoth - Interdimensional Invocations

 

FFO: old school thrash and traditional heavy metal brought up to date

I’m a little biased because they’re from my (original) neck of the woods. Very little metal comes out of there, but when it does it’s usually fantastic. No exception here. Interdimensional Invocations is old-school thrash through and almost through. It takes thrash in the vein of Kreator and sprinkles in tinges of black and death metal along with some melodious Iron Maiden-esque guitar anthems.

 

 

 

6. Numenorean - Adore

 

FFO: Forests and auras

Again, black metal is best when it’s diluted. Case in point: Adore. Acoustic passages, melodic death metal, hardcore, and black metal all find a home on this album and the end product is five fantastic main pieces connected by haunting interludes.

 

 

 

5. Gatecreeper - Deserted

 

FFO: Nasty riffs and when the vocalist doesn’t pronounce the word entirely

No frills no gimmicks. Unless you consider sticking to one thing a gimmick. Just thick, finely produced, pure and straight old school death metal. The main thing I’ve repeated about this album to people when discussing it is that no individual element is the best of its type--except for maybe Chase Mason’s vocals--but the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts.

 

 

 

4. Cloudkicker - Unending

 

FFO: Melody resolution, odd rhythms, being pensive

It’s been four years since Cloudkicker had a release. And the previous release really only had one song that I repeatedly visit. So while I was happy to see a new Cloudkicker album I was also hoping Ben Sharpe would keep following his sine wave of heaviness and softness with his releases: soft -> light heavy -> heavy -> light heavy -> soft. At least that’s the pattern I’ve noticed since 2011 or so with the releases he has made in that time. He’s back on the upswing of that curve with Unending. (Not to say his soft stuff is bad; I just think his most interesting work is when he’s using lots of layers and melodies like he does with the heavier stuff.) Unending seems like it has bits and pieces of everything that came before it. The djentiness of Beacons and its predecessors, the pensive telecaster prog rock infusions of Little Histories and Fade, and a dash of the clean and simple haunts of Woum and Let Yourself Be Huge. This is instrumental melodious goodness at its best.

 

 

 

3. Devin Townsend - Empath

 

FFO: Zany humor and choir chants

Empath is a culmination of sorts. Devin Townsend has been writing and producing music professionally for 30+ years now under different monikers and with different artists--Steve Vai, Strapping Young Lad, Casualties of Cool, Devin Townsend Project, Devin Townsend Band, Devin Townsend, others I’m forgetting--and this feels like he took bits and pieces from all of them and combined them into one cohesive vision. It features some of his best guitar work, best vocals, and best melodies. While not my favorite Townsend related album it’s probably the best. The Disney/showtune “Why?” is definitely the standout track here. Listen and you’ll see why. Other great moments on this album are the outro of the 24 minute epic “Singularity” and the catchy head-nod of “Spirits Will Collide”.

 

 

 

2. Tool - Fear Inoculum

 

FFO: Tool, extended instrumental medelys and jam sessions

 

You’ve heard it. I won’t be telling you anything to convince you here. But the mid section of “Descending” is my favorite bit of music in this decade. The way it builds up, the lyrics, the vocal performance, the way the guitar accentuates the rhythm of the vocals, the almost cymbal-free drumming… It is so good that I’ve probably listened to that one song five times more than any other song on the album. But all those songs are great too. Interlude tracks that do nothing except serve to make Tool nerds feel smart are par for the course with any Tool album so I won’t hold those against this release.

 

 

 

1. Periphery - Periphery IV: HAIL STAN

 

FFO: Anything. There’s something here for you.

Released only four months into the year and it immediately jumped to my number one spot and has not had any serious competition since. Hail Stan is in a constant arm-wrestle in my mind with Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal for their best album. Stan was the first album recorded and released on Periphery’s own label 3DOT Recordings. Consequently, it feels like they were able to do whatever they want--there’s a 17 minute song that opens the album; there’s a synthwave song; there’s an emo song; yet it all still sounds like Periphery and continues to feature some of their most punishing and percussive riffs and guitar work to date. It’s pure riffery (I’m a dad I’m allowed to make these jokes).

 

 

That song makes me cum.

 

Honorable Mentions

 

These are albums I enjoyed a lot but didn’t quite break my top 10, or they were released too late in the year for me to give them a proper go but I definitely enjoyed. In no particular order.

 

Fen - The Dead Light

Wormwitch - Heaven That Dwells Within

Shadow of Intent - Melancholy

Dream Theater - Distance Over Time

Allegaeon - Apoptosis

Ultar - Pantheon MMXIX

Inferi - The End of an Era

Norma Jean - All Hail

Insomnium - Heart Like a Grave

 

Disappointments

 

Albums by groups I always look forward to. But they didn't deliver.

 

Amon Amarth - Beserker

Cattle Decapitation - Death Atlas

[GeneticBlueprint]

Bumping this thread to remind people. Almost done with my decade list too.

[DPCyric]

On 1/7/2020 at 5:54 PM, GeneticBlueprint said:

Bumping this thread to remind people. Almost done with my decade list too.

 

I expected more Fleshgod Apocalypse on your list for some reason  I am also surprised to see the new Tool so high on your list it is great but I feel it is missing something.

[GeneticBlueprint]

9 hours ago, DPCyric said:

 

I expected more Fleshgod Apocalypse on your list for some reason  I am also surprised to see the new Tool so high on your list it is great but I feel it is missing something.

 

When you decide to put an orchestra with a death metal band it's almost always going to come across as a gimmick. Not that gimmicks aren't fun. But I think I enjoyed King so much because the orchestra felt like a natural element within the music and atmosphere of that album. Like it belonged. Whereas its predecessors feel more like "Hey you know what would be cool? If we had an orchestra." Veleno feels more like the latter. Still enjoyed it, but I've only given it a couple of spins.

[DPCyric]

On 1/13/2020 at 12:58 PM, GeneticBlueprint said:

 

When you decide to put an orchestra with a death metal band it's almost always going to come across as a gimmick. Not that gimmicks aren't fun. But I think I enjoyed King so much because the orchestra felt like a natural element within the music and atmosphere of that album. Like it belonged. Whereas its predecessors feel more like "Hey you know what would be cool? If we had an orchestra." Veleno feels more like the latter. Still enjoyed it, but I've only given it a couple of spins.

 

Ah, it got a lot of really good reviews so I was expecting it on your list but I also didn't like it nearly as well as King. I got my Top 10 organized yesterday but really haven't gotten into why everything landed where it did (except my disappointment with the new Tool).

[Keyser_Soze]

Strange coincidence, maybe, but I put my list out last year around the same time. But yeah here it is. I know you've been waiting for it!

 

Special Awards

Longest Album: Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence

 

Esoteric has been known for lengthy albums in fact they have longer albums but this one, this year, happens to be the longest one I've heard. Clocking in at 98 minutes you better have nothing better to do than listen to some dreary doom metal for the next hour and a half!

 

Spoiler

 

 

Best radio song not on the radio: Riff Raff - These Eyes

 

Riff Raff is a goofball to be sure but when he tries he's actually pretty good. This album (Cranberry Vampire) was one of his goofball efforts, however, These Eyes was a standout. He deserves a Grammy for it!

 

Spoiler

 

 

Most Disappointing: Tool - Fear Inoculum

Tool fans have been left waiting for 13 years for the follow up to the divisive album 10,000 days. The first disappointment was trying to acquire a copy. If you didn't pre-order forget about it, you couldn't find a copy unless it was a 2nd hand marked up copy. Most Tool fans came from a physical age so even with their jump to digital music it seems somewhat perplexing to have a shortage of the format most of their fans would gravitate towards.
As for the actual music, I would say for the most part most Tool albums have a different sound to them while still being identifiable as Tool. The majority of Fear Inoculum sounds like B-sides off of Lateralus and not in a good way. Songs mostly consist of one riff and they go on for way too long. It was like in those 13 years the band forgot how to make a complete song and just released things they thought might sound like Tool instead. There is one bright spot, 7empest

 

Worst Cover:  Malibu Ken - S/T

 

If I told you Aesop Rock released another album last year you would probably not believe me. But he did, it was a collaboration with Tobacco. It's actually a good album but not only did they disguise themselves by using the name Malibu Ken, they made one of the most repulsive album covers to grace your music collection. Gotta say though, it would be fun to get this on vinyl just to hold it up to your face in one of those humorous photos where you hold an LP to your face for lulz.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Regular Awards

 

Honorable Mentions

Aoi Eir - Fragment

Up until last year I was unfamiliar with Aoi Eir. However, I'm a big fan of Tamaki Nami and this album gave me those vibes. You know high energy, uptempo j-pop songs. Enjoyable if you like that sort of thing.

 

Spoiler

 

Skyblood - Skyblood

Skyblood a band from Mats Levén, he's a singer who's been in a bunch of bands most notably Yngwie Malmsteen and Therion. It's a one man project but sounds legit. The music sounds very NWOBHM maybe a bit more progressive and Mats' voice sounds like an old Ripper Owens. But yes a very good album. I hope he sticks with it because I'd like to hear more.

 

Spoiler

 

Illyria - The Carpathian Summit

I had high hope for this one especially after their debut album. It's not bad, it's actually really good but I feel like the first album was a lot more varied in terms of musical composition. The Carpathian Summit seems to stick to the blackgazeish style but with jazzy interludes throughout. Again, really good but feels a bit straightforward for them. They also brought out an instrumental version of the album if you're not a fan of the vocals.

 

Spoiler

 

 

TOP TEN

10

Lord Vicar - The Black Powder

Did you ever enjoy Black Sabbath? Well if you did you'll probably enjoy this band. A very heavy (think the dynamics of High on Fire) version of Black Sabbath. I don't know what more to say except that it's pretty awesome.

 

Spoiler

 

 

9

Denzel Curry - Zuu

In 2018 Denzel Curry brought out TA13OO which was enjoyed by many, myself included. But I find concept albums like that hard to revisit. Zuu on the other hand is just non stop bangers. So I enjoy it more just based on listenabliity. But everything is on point here from the production to the writing I guess the only negatives I would say is that it's a bit on the short side and those 3 interludes could have been replaced with another track.

 

Spoiler

 

8

Metalite - Biomechanicals

Have you ever gone to Disneyland and thought that the Main Street Electrical Parade could use 100% more metal? Well Metalite has you covered. Metalite is a Swedish trance metal band with some strong power metal influences. While the band name is a little on the nose the album is really fun. Fast paced metal with some electronic bleeps and bloops and the vocalist Erica Ohlsson is very capable as well.

 

Spoiler

 

 

7

Taeyeon - Purpose

 While we are all waiting for Blackpink to make an actual album other Korean artists are stepping up to the plate. Taeyeon is just a solo artist (not a girl group which seems to be the popular thing these days) but she's put out a great album here. Nothing hyper poppy, just smooth mature sounding songs.

 

Spoiler

 

 

6

Allegaeon - Apoptosis

Allegaeon is a progressive tech death metal band from Colorado. The album title apoptosis refers to the programmed cell death of organisms so you might just learn something from this album. It's a good mix of all the elements, like think of Cynic but more death metal influenced or think of Necrophagist but less death metal influenced or just think about listening to the album because it's great!

 

Spoiler

 

5

Sadistik - Haunted Gardens

Sadistik is probably the most horribly underrated (or maybe overlooked) rapper out there. That being said this is one of his best. The lyrics are very personal ranging from his own depression and suicidal thoughts to reminiscing about his father. Not the most uplifting material but his pain is a pleasure to listen to. Trust me, it's better than it sounds.

 

Spoiler

 

4

Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

Alcest rarely disappoint. So Spiritual Instinct is more non disappointing music. In fact one of the songs, L'île des morts, sounds a lot like a Tool song or what a Tool song should sound like. But as far as this album goes gotta say it's pretty consistent throughout. If you've never heard an Alcest album this is probably a good place to start. It's more accessible than the others (less harsh vocals) but still feels like the band.

 

Spoiler

 

3

Numenorean - Adore

Is a big mash of genres, predominantly blackgazeish I suppose but with some sludgy secret sauce kinda like Pelican and maybe even some Tom Waits. Whatever it is is it's awesome. The album has a great atmosphere from front to back and I gotta say I'm a fan of the percussion among other things. This was truly an unexpected surprise but I'll be sure to have this band on my radar in the future.

 

Spoiler

 

2

Devin Townsend - Empath

Have you ever heard of this guy? He's pretty good. This album feels like a greatest hits of sorts. Basically the culmination of everything Devin has done throughout his career on one album. Pretty awesome from front to back and a joy to listen to. That being said there is a bonus CD full of demo versions of songs. I haven't listened to the whole thing, maybe a handful of songs but "The Waiting Kind" is good. But the demos are just icing on an already delicious cake.

 

Spoiler

 

1

Swallow the Sun - When a Shadow is Forced into the Light

Coming off of 2015's Songs from the North triple album one would wonder if Swallow the Sun had anything left in the tank. The answer after releasing When a Shadow is Forced into the Light is an unquestionable yes. Swallow the Sun rarely make the same album twice and always do something new and still manage to sound like Swallow the Sun. This album is a departure from their normal doom sound with a lot of emphasis on clean vocals. The reasoning is the passing of Aleah Stanbridge, the guitarist's girlfriend. Dead at 39 thanks to cancer (She's even featured at the end of Clouds on Your Side which she helped write). So there is a tale to be told here and the clean vocals help tell that tale. That being said not all the songs are sad a lot of them feel like they are filled with hope. In the end they created quite a masterpiece, possibly their best album or close to it.

 

Spoiler

 

 

[GeneticBlueprint]

On 2/26/2020 at 10:32 PM, Keyser_Soze said:

 

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

I was excited by our similar interests as well. I tried hard not to read the thread to be influenced. But I saw your last FM rocking some Numenorean and was kind of surprised you were listening to them!