In no particular order
1. Every Time I Die - Low Teens
A lot of bands
try to make edgy noise these days, but ETID has a solid recipe that not only doesn't
get old, but their musicianship evolves even more with every album.
2. Nails - You Will Never Be One Of Us
If there's one
word to describe this album, it has to be pure, unbridled hate. Nails have
proven they are here to stay -and we will be more than content to see them
ascend to the throne.
3. Stick To Your Guns - Better Ash Than Dust
Speaking of
anger, Jesse Barnett and his gang still have serious issues to address and they
do so by tracing back roots. A pleasant surprise nonetheless.
4. Heaven Shall Burn - Wanderer
"Veto"
left a bitter taste in my mouth so I was really sceptical towards a new HSB
album. I'm glad I was proven wrong. "Wanderer" is their one of their
best works to date. It's not immaculate, but it brings back the trademark HSB
aggression that the previous album was missing.
5. Polar - No Cure No Saviour
If you told me
this time last year, when I first discovered Polar, that I'd be so impressed by
their latest release, I'd have given you a funny look. After all this time, I
can say I have a new level of respect for the band, both personally and
musically. Heavy and melodic, this album hits a soft spot every time.
6. Bossk - Audio Noir
I'm pretty
certain people paid more attention to the band being labeled as
"post-metal" than the actual gem that this album really is. Bossk has
grown into an autonomous entity, which has assimilated its influences and has
converted them into solid compositions.
7. Culture Abuse - Peach
Don't let the
cover fool you; Culture Abuse doesn't make cute and peachy music. The band's debut is a cohesive
amalgam of their influences, ranging from reggae to grunge, and cynical,
poignant lyric themes that build the structure of the album flawlessly,
delivering modern anthems.
8. Mantar - Ode To The Flame
The listener
has to be in a relevant mindset to fully grasp the essence this album. The next
creative step from "Death By Burning"; dark, heavy and slow, it's
nothing short of what you'd expect from Mantar.
9. Letlive. - If I'm The Devil...
Not your
typical Letlive. album. Lyrically, it re-addresses certain issues but
musically, it draws elements from plenty of other genres which blend perfectly
into the final result. Jason Aalon Butler is always broken; he's grown as an
artist and Letlive. exists beyond his antics. He is surrounded by talented
musicians who are not shadowed by his stage persona.
10. Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
Probably the
album that caused the greatest conflict of opinions this year. If you know
Thrice, you know their capability to fuse melodic bits with dynamic parts while
conveying messages through metaphors. Sure,they're not reinventing the wheel,
but the outcome was a risk worth taking. After all, isn't that what second chances
are all about?
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