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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: SoundscapeMN on December 01, 2016, 11:26:03 PM

Title: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: SoundscapeMN on December 01, 2016, 11:26:03 PM
I know there's technically a little less than 1-month left, but for the most part, every new album for 2016 has come out sans for the new Klimt 1918 album.

And for me personally and my blog, My Year/Calendar for these ended on Halloween anyway, so the new albums year has been over for quite awhile.

that being said, I'll post my list and hopefully others will start chiming with their own over the next few days/weeks.

Here's what I posted in my blog today (and as I wrote, I mean to edit in some blurbs soon:

https://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2016/12/2015-2016-albums-countdown.html

27 albums I never had enough time for, or never got enough into.

Astronoid- Air
The Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum
Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis
Black Mountain - IV
Bloc Party- Hymns
The Chap - The Show Must Go
Cloud Caverns - Holy Gloom
Crippled Black Phoenix - Bronze
Deerhoof - The Magic
Dream Theater - The Astonishing
An Endless Sporadic - Magic Machine
Fitz and the Tantrums - Fitz and the Tantrums
Gloria Morti - Kuebiko
Gojira - Magma
Is Tropical - Black Anything
The Jelly Jam - Profit
Jeff Lynne's ELO - Alone in the Universe
Jennylee - Right On!
Lawrence - Breakfast
Memoryhouse - Soft Hate
The Most Serene Republic - Mediac
The Mute Gods - Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me
Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha
Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAPVAST - Stripped
White Denim - Stiff
Wolf Parade - EP 4 [EP]

10 Albums I did not get to hear (yet, but still mean to)

Braindrill - Boundless Obscenity
Hammers of Misfortune - Dead Revolution
Ihsahn - Arktis.
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Opeth - Sorceress
School of Seven Bells - SVIIB
Skeleton Staff - Kurfürstendammned
Syd Arthur - Apricity
Tiles - Pretending 2 Run
Virvum - Illuminance

-------------------------------------

Albums 50-34
Anderson / Stolt - Invention of Knowledge
Orphaned Land and Amaseffer - Kna'an
O'Brother - Endless Light
Eight Bells - Landless
Josh Benash - The Body Light [EP]
Genders - Phone Home [EP]
Kansas - The Prelude Implicit
Unlocking the Truth - Chaos
John Wesley - A Way You'll Never Be
David Bowie - Blackstar
Obscura - Akróasis
Gracepoint- Echoes
Emanuel and the Fear- Primitive Smile
Radical Face - The Family Tree: Branches
Oddland - Origin
Archive - The False Foundation
Mayer Hawthorne - Man About Town


Singles 5-1
5. Bruce Peninsula and Chris Thomborrow - Don't Wake the Giant [1B]
4. Capital Cities - Vowels [1B]
3. Kimbra - Sweet Relief [1B]
2. The Reign of Kindo - Human Convention [1B]
1. Disillusion - Alea [1B]


Albums 33-1
33. Kyle Morton - What Will Destroy You?
32. Revere - Man of Atom [EP]
31. Steven Wilson - 4 1/2
30. Hands of Despair - Bereft
29. Painted in Exile - The Ordeal
28. Rare Futures - The is Your Brain on Love
27. The Mercury Tree - Permutations
26. Protest the Hero - Pacific Myth [EP] 
25. Mutemath - Vitals
24. Watchtower - Concepts of Math: Book One [EP]
23. iamthemorning - Lighthouse
22. nosound - Scintilla
21. British Theatre - Mastery 
20. The Monkees - Good Times!
19. Dream the Electric Sleep - Beneath the Dark Wide Sky
18. SikTh - Opacities [EP]
17. Ideology - Ideology
16. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
15. Warpaint - Heads Up
14. The Woods Brothers - The Woods Brothers
13. Brooke Waggoner - Sweven
12. Vektor - Terminal Redux
11. Falling Up - Falling Up
10. Meniscus - Refractions
9. Local Natives - Sunlit Youth
8. Esparanza Spalding - Emily's D + Evolution
7. Bent Knee - Say So
6. Textures - Phenotype
5. Long Distance Calling - Trips
4. Marillion - F.E.A.R.
3. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
2. Cloud Cult - The Seeker
1. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Jester on December 01, 2016, 11:58:16 PM
Twelve Foot Ninja - Outlier

Love every song on the album.  Three official YouTube songs from the album.
Invincible (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsLq5hm3f4)
One Hand Killing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-v9Aeb7Pr0)
Sick (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHQ121jygSo)
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Cyclopssss on December 02, 2016, 12:58:45 AM
I'd put the new Metallica somewhere in there.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Bolsters on December 02, 2016, 01:01:38 AM
I'll probably have a top 5 done eventually (not even in order) and maybe top 10 if I can be bothered, but probably not. There's just too many things this year that I've only listened to once or twice and need to revisit before I can make up my mind in any definitive way.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Tiko on December 02, 2016, 01:03:43 AM
I'm surprised the new Neal Morse Band album isn't on the list. Album of the year for me. I'll definitely check some these out though, so thanks!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Train of Naught on December 02, 2016, 01:09:49 AM
I will unfortunately have to ditch The Groove Train because I'm extremely busy with school and other stuff, I can't be bothered to do a writeup for all the albums.

So I will just post like a top 40 in here :soon:
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Crow on December 02, 2016, 01:10:11 AM
1. slice
2. the
3. kek
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: RoeDent on December 02, 2016, 07:31:36 AM
It's been a record-breaking year for me, both in total albums bought and albums from this year (36 and 9 respectively, so far). It's at times like this I wish I could write coherent write-ups about albums and my general music-buying year, but how I feel about albums can't be put into words and is usually overwhelmingly positive (you have to hate stuff to be a critic; and I'm just not that kinda guy). It's extremely tough to choose a favourite album, but I've narrowed it down to three. I'll have more of a think about it though.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Evermind on December 02, 2016, 07:43:40 AM
I know this is your thread, SoundscapeMN, but I kinda want to encourage everyone to post their Top 5 of the year in order. I'd like to count the results we get and see what's the general consensus on DTF AOTY for 2016 (with the first album getting five points, second - four points, etc). I mean, you can post Top 40 and whatnot, but I will only count the Top 5; or you can post the albums in no particular order and I will skip your post when counting the results.

I remember this being done on DTF either for 2013 and 2014, and I think it would be nice to do it again.

I'll probably post my ranking later this weekend.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: ChuckSteak on December 02, 2016, 08:02:19 AM
Hmm I haven't listened to many albums released this year. The ones I did I don't think they qualify for being best of the year.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Samsara on December 02, 2016, 08:06:53 AM
Fates Warning - Theories of Flight.

/thread.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Destiny Of Chaos on December 02, 2016, 08:10:34 AM
1. Redemption - The Art of Loss
2. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
3. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

Still need to catch up on this year's releases, particularly, Neal Morse, Sonata Arctica & Epica.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: RoeDent on December 02, 2016, 08:13:32 AM
I remember this being done on DTF either for 2013 and 2014, and I think it would be nice to do it again.

It will be cool to see what the consensus is on this community's album of the year.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Nekov on December 02, 2016, 08:45:33 AM
To me Affinity is easily number 1, but I'd have to think about the rest. Will do a list whenever I have time
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: SoundscapeMN on December 02, 2016, 09:10:27 AM
I'm surprised the new Neal Morse Band album isn't on the list. Album of the year for me. I'll definitely check some these out though, so thanks!

As I wrote in the 1st post, I only make mine through Halloween and the new Neal Morse Band album came out in November.  That being said, I've shyed away from Neal's religious-based music ever since not taking much to Testimony. But the new record is getting a lot more buzz than his others, I may have check it out with open ears. But it'll be on Next year's list for me.

I know this is your thread, SoundscapeMN, but I kinda want to encourage everyone to post their Top 5 of the year in order. I'd like to count the results we get and see what's the general consensus on DTF AOTY for 2016 (with the first album getting five points, second - four points, etc). I mean, you can post Top 40 and whatnot, but I will only count the Top 5; or you can post the albums in no particular order and I will skip your post when counting the results.

I remember this being done on DTF either for 2013 and 2014, and I think it would be nice to do it again.

I'll probably post my ranking later this weekend.

that's perfectly fine as this topic was not intended to be just My Own list, as I wrote in the 1st post. People should also be encouraged to post their own Favorites for the year in here and certainly go ahead and tally it up and come up with a Best of for the Forum for 2016.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Zydar on December 02, 2016, 09:37:48 AM
To me Affinity is easily number 1, but I'd have to think about the rest. Will do a list whenever I have time

This. 'Affinity' is my album of the year.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Tomislav95 on December 02, 2016, 09:43:44 AM
My top 5 atm:
1. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
2. The Dear Hunter - Act V
3. The Hotelier - Goodness
4. Haken - Affinity
5. Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: pogoowner on December 02, 2016, 10:04:31 AM
1. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
Is correct.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Polarbear on December 02, 2016, 10:23:49 AM
To me Affinity is easily number 1, but I'd have to think about the rest. Will do a list whenever I have time

This. 'Affinity' is my album of the year.

As someone who never cared for Haken before, Affinity would be my n.1 choice as well!

I was blown away, when i heard 1985 for the first time!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: RoeDent on December 02, 2016, 11:58:24 AM
I think this will do:

1. Falling Satellites - Frost*
2. The Astonishing - Dream Theater
3. Folklore - Big Big Train
4. Affinity - Haken
5. FEAR - Marillion

And for the non-points-scoring ones:

6. Valley of the Windmill - Circa
7. 4½ - Steven Wilson
8. Disconnected - Airbag
9. Your Wilderness - The Pineapple Thief
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on December 02, 2016, 12:17:22 PM
I don't get NEW albums that much anymore but the three I did get this year ...

1. Metallica - Hardwired To Self Destruct - Brilliant.

2. Green Day - Revolution Radio - Not bad. Not their best or their worst. Just good

3. Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis. Oh my God. What a disappointment. Their previous album opposites was so great. Then this. Every other song is a bloody Westlife / Boyzone style pop ballad. Awful album.


- - - - -

Oops I forgot about The Astonishing :lol

I give that a 7/10. I prefer it to DT12 by a long way.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 02, 2016, 12:24:39 PM
I was actually thinking about this to myself on my way into work this morning.  It's been a great year of music for me.

1.  Avantasia - Ghostlights
2.  Epica - The Holographic Principle
3.  Dream Theater - The Astonishing
4.  Devin Townsend - Transcendence
5.  Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

Honorable mentions:

Metallica - Hardwired to Self Destruct (honestly havent given this one enough listens, could crack the top 5 and knock out A7X because I think it's great so far)
Haken - Affinity
Delain - Moonbathers

Disappointments, although not bad just not as good as their predecessors:

Circus Maximus - Havoc
Amaranthe - Maximalism
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: devieira73 on December 02, 2016, 12:27:38 PM
Top 5 (any of these albums could be my album of the year):

Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
Haken - Affinity
Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail

Top 6 to 10:

6) Dream Theater - The Astonishing
7) Frost - Falling Satellites
8) Tiles - Pretending 2 Run
9) Levin Minnemann Rudess - From the Law Offices of
10) Metallica - Hardwired... to Self-Destruct

Another really great albuns this year, in no particular order:

Almah - E.V.O.
Eden's Curse - Cardinal
Glenn Hughes - Resonate
Megadeth - Dystopia
Redemption - The Art of Loss
The Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Lowdz on December 02, 2016, 01:08:46 PM
Will give all this years albums another go before making a final decision but off the top of my head,

The Astonishing  :metal gets my son's vote too  :biggrin:





Avantasia- Ghostlights

Punky Meadows - Fallen Angel

Myrath - Legacy

Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

Graham Bonnet Band - The Book

Kansas - Prelude Implicit

Andy Timmons - theme from a perfect world

Megadeth- Dystopia

Fates Warning - Theories of Flight








Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Zydar on December 02, 2016, 01:22:54 PM
Top 5:

Haken - Affinity (#1)
Fates Warning - Theories Of Flight
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self-Destruct
Opeth - Sorceress
Big Big Train - Folklore

Disappointed by The Astonishing.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Anguyen92 on December 02, 2016, 01:35:24 PM
After hearing 43 albums full of different stuff (metal, prog rock/metal, modern hard rock, electronic violin stuff, etc.), this was a solid groundbreaking year for me in terms of listening to as many albums of bands that caught my intrigue.  Here's my fave five.

1. Alter Bridge - The Last Hero (Just another tremendous album to add to their great catalog)
2. Black Stone Cherry - Kentucky (After some disappointment in their last two albums, Black Stone Cherry somewhat went back to their roots in modern southern hard rock and delivered a consistent album to me).
3. Sixx: A.M. - Prayers for the Blessed (Sixx, Ashba, and Michael released two albums, this year, both were good, this one was the better album to me)
4. Sick Puppies - Fury (They brought in a new singer/guitarist and delivered a solid radio rock album)
5. Dream Theater - The Astonishing (This was a very bold and ambitious effort for DT and whilst certain parts probably did not work out for the best, this massive 2+ hour album had a great story, musicianship, and, surprisingly, had some strong standalone songs)

Honorable mentions goes to Tremonti's Dust, Poets of the Fall's Clearview, Switchfoot's When the Light Shines Through, Lindsey Stirling's Brave Enough, and Volbeat's Seal the Deal and Let's Boogie.

Great year for me.  Don't think 2017 can top that, but I love to be surprised.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: King Postwhore on December 02, 2016, 01:47:41 PM
1.  Haken - Affinity
2.  Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail
3.  Fringe -- Self Titled
4.  The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness
5.  Weezer -- The White Album
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Christeen on December 02, 2016, 01:52:12 PM
1.Terminal Redux-Vektor
2. Magma-Gojira
3. Affinity-Haken
4. The Violent Sleep of Reason-Meshuggah
5. Transcendence-DTP
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: jjrock88 on December 02, 2016, 01:58:42 PM
Fates Warning is the clear winner for me this year.

Primal Fear and Anthrax both released great albums too.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: pain of occupation on December 02, 2016, 02:29:14 PM
It's near criminal that anyone with Protest and Sikth in their top 50 doesn't include actual album of the year Destrage A Means To No End on their list (or even on their albums they still need to check out list).
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: TheCountOfNYC on December 02, 2016, 03:49:00 PM
1) Avenged Sevenfold: The Stage
2) Dream Theater: The Astonishing
3) Metallica: Hardwired...To Self Destruct

This was a pretty good year for music, but for me these are the three albums that matter. This is only the second time that all of my top three bands released new albums, and the first time since I became a fan of Dream Theater. Also, considering the only other time this happened was 2003 when the new Metallica album was St. Anger, this occurrence is a pretty big deal for me. These three bands absolutely killed it this year, and these albums should be in my listening rotation for years to come.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: TAC on December 02, 2016, 04:01:08 PM
1. Dream Theater-The Astonishing
2. Theocracy-Ghost Ship
3. Flotsam & Jetsam- s/t
4. Anthrax-For All Kings
5. Fates Warning-Theories Of Flight
6. Megadeth-Dystopia
7. Innerwish-s/t
8. Sinbreed-Master Creator
9. Metal Chruch-XI
10. Testament-Brotherhood Of The Snake
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: SoundscapeMN on December 02, 2016, 04:29:17 PM
It's near criminal that anyone with Protest and Sikth in their top 50 doesn't include actual album of the year Destrage A Means To No End on their list (or even on their albums they still need to check out list).

I recall seeing it on a blog, and checked out their last album and liked it but wasn't blown away or anything. And it just slipped under my radar more than anything. The new Dark Tranquility as well.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on December 02, 2016, 04:30:19 PM
1) Avenged Sevenfold: The Stage
2) Dream Theater: The Astonishing
3) Metallica: Hardwired...To Self Destruct

This was a pretty good year for music, but for me these are the three albums that matter. This is only the second time that all of my top three bands released new albums, and the first time since I became a fan of Dream Theater. Also, considering the only other time this happened was 2003 when the new Metallica album was St. Anger, this occurrence is a pretty big deal for me. These three bands absolutely killed it this year, and these albums should be in my listening rotation for years to come.

Yeah 4 of the bands I like all released new music this year :tup. Mastodon is not far behind either. Also new U2 next year.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 02, 2016, 04:32:28 PM
To me Affinity is easily number 1, but I'd have to think about the rest. Will do a list whenever I have time

This. 'Affinity' is my album of the year.

As someone who never cared for Haken before, Affinity would be my n.1 choice as well!

I was blown away, when i heard 1985 for the first time!

Same here, this was my first experience with Haken and 1984 is my favorite from Affinity.  It really rocked my socks off.  However, that was not my #1 album of the year for me.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Jester on December 02, 2016, 04:50:57 PM
This is what I like.  Now I know where to start when checking out the 2016 Haken.  1984.  Newish prog has been a hard sell for me as of late, but I still try.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 02, 2016, 04:57:21 PM
This is what I like.  Now I know where to start when checking out the 2016 Haken.  1984.  Newish prog has been a hard sell for me as of late, but I still try.

Just check out the whole album  :metal It's very good.   Honestly felt like it hit that prog spot that DT kind of missed with TA (even as a big fan of TA).  More so because of the long progressiveness of the songs.  I wouldn't say they sound like DT, but 1984 really hit a spot in me that was missing in music this year.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: King Postwhore on December 02, 2016, 05:14:03 PM
Add one and you'll get the real song 1985. :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Jester on December 02, 2016, 05:16:48 PM
Add one and you'll get the real song 1985. :lol

 :lol

I was really digging my Youtube 1984 search.  Haken sounded very Van Halen to me. 

Google:  1984+1
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 02, 2016, 05:30:35 PM
Add one and you'll get the real song 1985. :lol

LOL I won't lie.  84 is ingrained in me.  The year I was born, a great Van Halen album, Bon Jovi debuted (I live near him in NJ and easily his best album).... my bad.  Good catch
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: King Postwhore on December 02, 2016, 06:08:05 PM
I love you guys. :lol

BTW,  I was 17 chasing tail in 1984 + 1. :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: TAC on December 02, 2016, 06:21:47 PM
Add one and you'll get the real song 1985. :lol

LOL I won't lie.  84 is ingrained in me.  The year I was born, a great Van Halen album, Bon Jovi debuted (I live near him in NJ and easily his best album).... my bad.  Good catch

Saw VH on that tour and saw Bon Jovi as well in '84.

BTW,  I was 17 chasing tail in 1984 + 1. :lol

 :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: lordxizor on December 02, 2016, 07:20:26 PM
This was a year of a lot of good, but not great albums for me. I've listened to more new albums this year than any year before and I'd have a hard time finding 10 albums I like enough to put in a top 10 list. I think a big problem for me is that most of my music listening these days happens at work where I'm unable to give anything a really close listen.

Albums that need a few more listens to draw a final conclusion on, but initial impressions are good:
Metallica - Hardwired... to Self-distruct
Catfish & the Bottlemen - The Ride
Umphrey's McGee - Zonkey

Albums I like, but can't really put in any particular order:
Wolfmother - Victorious
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Tremonti - Dust
Thank You Scientist - Strenger Heads Prevail
The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness
St. Paul & the Broken Bones - Sea of Noise
Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
Monster Truck - Sitting Heavy

The only two albums that really grabbed me this year:
The Dear Hunter - Act V
Thrice - To Be Everywhere is to Be Nowhere
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Dave_Manchester on December 02, 2016, 07:28:24 PM
My top 3 for the year would be:

1. Swans - The Glowing Man
2. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
3. Nick Cave - Skeleton Tree
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: mike099 on December 02, 2016, 08:23:34 PM

1)  Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
2)  Haken - Affinity
3)  Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
4)  Blackstone Cherry - Kentucky  -  Thanks to Anguyen92 for the recommendation -  I bought all of the cd's in one amazon order after only hearing a few songs -  The wife thought I was nuts for buying them all after listening to only a few songs 
5)  Redemption - The Art of Loss 

Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sacul on December 02, 2016, 08:36:02 PM
I'll do mine when I finish catching up with 2016 albums  :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Fluffy Lothario on December 02, 2016, 08:46:59 PM
Swans - The Glowing Man
Fire! Orchestra - Ritual
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason

Heard a few others, but nothing worth mentioning.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 02, 2016, 09:15:58 PM
Add one and you'll get the real song 1985. :lol

LOL I won't lie.  84 is ingrained in me.  The year I was born, a great Van Halen album, Bon Jovi debuted (I live near him in NJ and easily his best album).... my bad.  Good catch

Saw VH on that tour and saw Bon Jovi as well in '84.

BTW,  I was 17 chasing tail in 1984 + 1. :lol

 :lol

 :metal :lol :metal :lol :metal :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: bl5150 on December 02, 2016, 09:17:34 PM

Punky Meadows - Fallen Angel


Interesting.........I didn't even bother to check it out.  Took a look at him and thought he must be spending all his time on tanning , leaving not much time for his album to be any good.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Crow on December 02, 2016, 10:12:21 PM
Thank You Scientist is the only one I'd say for sure would be in my top 5, so it's probably my AOTY right now  :P
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Lepprador on December 03, 2016, 07:24:29 AM
2016 was unbelieveable . Never have I bought more music (around 50 albums).
I'll remember it as the year of thrash. I mean Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament, Death Angel, Destruction, Metal Church (and Slayer in very late 2015) released their stuff.
(I'd like to see a poll, perhaps ?)

Here are some random thoughts coming to my mind (not only albums, excuse me):

- 1985 from Haken is one of the most fun and outstanding songs from 2016.

- The funniest song of 2016 was Meta Taro from Babymetal and Tales Of The Destinies
  from the same album is remarkable because of channeling Dream Theater
  (in kick-butt-mode, that is). No album's reception has been more controversial. In my book
  that only speaks for the project.

- Speaking of The Astonishing. My personal dissapointment of  the year. It's so tame and     
  boring, it makes me tremble in fear, because the next album has to be the meanest 
  mother%#%§$ bitch to make up for it.
 
- Fates Warning wipe the floor with it. AOTY and SOTY (TLASOT).

- Square Hammer from the Ghost EP is catchy as hell.

- Soldier Down from Kee Marcello. Best song from a great album.

- Hardwired, Spit Out The Bone and Halo On Fire deserve to be among the best tracks of 2016.

- I really enjoyed the album from Last In Line. RIP Jimmy Bain. He's jamming in heaven or in hell
  with RJD.

- Watchtower's Concepts OF Math: Book One is the proggiest stuff of the year
  (that I have heard).

- Steve Vai - Modern Primitive probably his best work since Sex & Religion.

- It felt good to hear Jon Anderson in fine form on the Invention Of Knowledge album.

- Kip Winger composed his first classical music album for the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.   
  Interesting to say the least.

- In the beginning of 2016 I was listening heavyly to J-Rock  and discovered some really cool
  acts like Scandal or Lisa.

- 2016 was nasty regarding the death of so many musicians. RIP Lemmy, Bowie, Prince...
 
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: BlobVanDam on December 03, 2016, 07:43:04 AM
I've listened to about 14 albums from this year properly. There are only two I'd say weren't disappointments. My favourite of the year is probably Inglorious' self titled album.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Zydar on December 03, 2016, 07:44:53 AM

- 1985 from Haken is one of the most fun and outstanding songs from 2016.

- Speaking of The Astonishing. My personal dissapointment of  the year. It's so tame and     
  boring, it makes me tremble in fear, because the next album has to be the meanest 
  mother%#%§$ bitch to make up for it.
 
- Square Hammer from the Ghost EP is catchy as hell.

- Hardwired, Spit Out The Bone and Halo On Fire deserve to be among the best tracks of 2016.

- 2016 was nasty regarding the death of so many musicians. RIP Lemmy, Bowie, Prince...

Agree with all this :tup
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Lowdz on December 03, 2016, 07:53:12 AM

Punky Meadows - Fallen Angel


Interesting.........I didn't even bother to check it out.  Took a look at him and thought he must be spending all his time on tanning , leaving not much time for his album to be any good.

You would think so.  :biggrin:
It's an unassuming album of good rock songs and I kept going back to it so it deserves its spot in the list. It might just be me - have a listen and see what you think. It's a good car album.

I'd have to add Marillion to the list also. Best post Fish album for me
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: KevShmev on December 03, 2016, 09:25:01 AM
I don't listen to as much new stuff as I used to, but for me, the top 3 albums of the year are definitely:

Dream Theater - The Astonishing
David Bowie - Blackstar
Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream

Good ones:

Devin Townsend - Transcendence (really, really good, but has yet to dominate my CD player for weeks like those top 3 did)
Haken - Affinity (really good)
Opeth - Sorceress (I like it, but still have yet to really get into in a big way at all)
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (this was one of those CDs I listened to a lot for like a month and then have barely revisited since)
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: dparrott on December 03, 2016, 10:37:07 AM
1. Astonishing
2. Warpaint - Heads Up
3. Probably Hardwired, need to give it more listens though

Haken - Affinity.  Wow, good PT vibe.  Dig the retro cover too!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Mosh on December 03, 2016, 11:51:35 AM
I have been following Haken almost since the first album, Affinity did not blow me away. A very good album for sure, but I heard a lot of better music this year.

Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: King Postwhore on December 03, 2016, 12:15:33 PM
And as a fellow follower I love their progression over their career.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Mosh on December 03, 2016, 12:21:13 PM
Definitely not taking anything away from their progression. I am very happy with the way Haken has evolved.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Metro on December 03, 2016, 12:50:10 PM
1. Haken - Affinity
2. The Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
3. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
4. Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty
5. Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail

Other great albums this year:
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
David Bowie - Blackstar
Metallica - Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Vektor - Terminal Redux
Ghost - Popestar
Steven Wilson - 4 1/2
The Neal Morse Band - Similitude of a Dream
Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: King Postwhore on December 03, 2016, 12:56:25 PM
Definitely not taking anything away from their progression. I am very happy with the way Haken has evolved.

I totally get it.  We all have certain styles we love.  No worries at all!  Can't wait for their next album!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: home on December 03, 2016, 02:26:38 PM
So far I think:

1: Haken - Affinity (easily my favourite Haken album to date  :angel:)
2: Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
3: The Dear Hunter - Act V
4: Iamthemorning - Lighthouse
5: Bent Knee - Say So
6: Alcest - Kodama
7: The Pineapple Thief - Your Wildernis
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kwyjibo on December 03, 2016, 03:16:17 PM
Top 5

1. Anthrax - For All Kings
2. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
3. Fates Warning - Theories Of Flight
4. Avantasia - Ghostlights
5. Megadeth - Dystopia

Also good but either not top 5 material or not enough listened to yet to rank it:

Meshuggah  -   The Violent Sleep Of Reason
Neal Morse - The Similitude Of A Dream
Kansas - The Prelude Implicit
Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering
Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
Marillion - FEAR

and probably some more which I can't remember at the moment.

Dissapointments (not necessarily bad but not meeting my expectations):

Opeth
Metallica
Anderson Stolt
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Scorpion on December 03, 2016, 03:37:40 PM
This is really hard, but here goes. Albums within one tier are very close in quality.

Album of the Year

1. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional

Excellent

2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
3. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
4. Anciients - Voice of the Void
5. Ihsahn - Arktis.
6. Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner
7. Haken - Affinity

Great

8. Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary
9. Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
10. Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
11. Slice the Cake - Odyssey to the West
12. Novembre - Ursa
13. Redemption - The Art of Loss
14. Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika
15. Cliff Martinez - The Neon Demon OST
16. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
17. Sonata Arctica - The Ninth Hour
18. Evergrey - The Storm Within
19. Mono - Requiem for Hell
20. David Bowie - Blackstar
21. Avantasia - Ghostlights

Decent

23. Megadeth - Dystopia
24. Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
25. Alcest - Kodama
26. Fallujah - Dreamless

Disappointing

27. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
28. Myrath - Legacy
29. Rhapsody of Fire - Into the Legend

All in all, this was an amazing year. And I still have to listen to the new PtH, the new Destrage, the new Theocracy, the new Metallica, the new Bent Knee... honestly, this might end up being my favourite year in music, period. So many great albums. :heart
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: ZKX-2099 on December 03, 2016, 04:30:01 PM
I'm just gonna rank all I listened to from this year.

1. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage (my #1 by a mile, so good)
2. Every Time I Die - Low Teens (am I their only fan here?)
3. Dream Theater - The Astonishing (it's a masterpiece, but it's so long I rarely listen to it)
4. Avantasia - Ghostlights
5. Orbs - Past Life Regression (worth the 6 year wait)
6. Metallica - Hardwired (not worth the wait, but still really good)
7. Devin Townsend - Transcendence (an instant classic Dev album)
8. Haken - Affinity
9. Periphery - 3
10. Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
11. Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
12. Destrage - A Means To No End
13. Megadeth - Dystopia
14. Tremonti - Dust
15. Giraffe Tongue Orchestra - Broken Lines
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: PixelDream on December 03, 2016, 05:24:34 PM
I never thought I'd say this, but Avenged Sevenfold put out my favorite album of the year. Previously I couldn't give a rat's ass about this band, but The Stage is just such an epic and diverse metal album. I love the melodies, the proggy arrangements, etcetera. It has the best guitar solos I've heard in ages. The title track still gets daily rotation here. I just freaking love this album so much.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: devieira73 on December 03, 2016, 05:31:09 PM
Yeah, the stage has incredible and very inspired solos, which have been very rare nowadays in the metal scene.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: SoundscapeMN on December 04, 2016, 01:26:21 PM
yeah, The Stage to me is probably the best comeback record of the year and one of their best albums. Very unexpected in a really good way.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: PuffyPat on December 05, 2016, 10:51:30 PM
music band - wake up laughing
death grips - bottomless pit
earthless/harsh toke - acid crusher/ mt swan
bon iver - 22, a million
nick cave and the bad seeds - skeleton tree
bear hands - you'll pay for this
kanye west - the life of pablo
animal collective - painting with
danny drown - atrocity exhibition
frank ocean - blond
jeff the brotherhood - zone
diarrhea planet - turn to gold
hollow earth - dead planet
david bowie - blackstar
nicolas jaar - sirens
sturgill simspson - a sailor's guide to earth
xiu xiu - xiu xiu plays the music of twin peaks
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: ariich on December 06, 2016, 07:56:13 AM
It's near criminal that anyone with Protest and Sikth in their top 50 doesn't include actual album of the year Destrage A Means To No End on their list (or even on their albums they still need to check out list).
Didn't the Sikth EP come out in 2015? Not sure what it's doing on this list.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: ariich on December 06, 2016, 08:42:32 AM
Ok this was bloody hard, even limiting to my top 50. And lots of joint placings because ranking everything is just too difficult.

My joint album of the year:
1=.  Haken – Affinity
1=.  The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional

Other top albums:
3.    Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
4.    65daysofstatic - No Man's Sky: Music for an Infinite Universe
5.    Dissona - Paleopneumatic
6.    Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail
7=.  Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
7=.  Dream Theater - The Astonishing

Other excellent albums:
9=.  Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty
9=.  Big Big Train – Folklore
9=.  Dream the Electric Sleep - Beneath the Dark Wide Sky
9=.  BT - _
9=.  Biffy Clyro – Ellipsis
14=. Max Cooper – Emergence
14=. Metallica - Hardwired...to Self-Destruct
14=. Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack
14=. Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary
18=. Frost* - Falling Satellites
18=. Devin Townsend Project – Transcendence
20=. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
20=. Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
20=. NOFX - First Ditch Effort
20=. Regina Spektor - Remember Us to Life
24=. Myrath – Legacy
24=. Twelve Foot Ninja – Outlier
24=. ORBS - Past Life Regression
27=. Wolverine - Machina Viva
27=. Gojira – Magma
29=. Long Distance Calling – Trips
29=. Plini - Handmade Cities
29=. Opeth – Sorceress
32=. Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha
32=. Weezer - Weezer [White Album]
32=. Headspace - All That You Fear Is Gone
35=. Olaf Stuut – Run
35=. Pellek - A Marvelous Method of Reclusion
37=. Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
37=. Hiromi – Spark
37=. Karmakanic – Dot
37=. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Other solid albums:
41=. Green Day - Revolution Radio
41=. Tremonti – Dust
41=. The Cat Empire - Rising With the Sun
41=. Thomas Giles - Velcro Kid
45=. In Flames – Battles
45=. The Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream
45=. Sonata Arctica - The Ninth Hour
48=. Evergrey - The Storm Within
48=. Textures – Phenotype
48=. Megadeth – Dystopia
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: pain of occupation on December 06, 2016, 09:15:37 AM
It's near criminal that anyone with Protest and Sikth in their top 50 doesn't include actual album of the year Destrage A Means To No End on their list (or even on their albums they still need to check out list).
Didn't the Sikth EP come out in 2015? Not sure what it's doing on this list.

I believe you're right. Which means we're dealing with a crime spree.  :P

To be fair, I'm a biased fanboy as of 13 months ago when I discovered the previous Destrage album (which is equally brilliant)...if the OP wasn't won over by that one, the new one probably wouldn't fair much better.
Anywho, I see Destrage eludes most lists, so I gotta get the word out some. After all, I'm their Official Street Team Leader, Regina Chapter.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on December 06, 2016, 09:39:21 AM
*top 50*


:lol i didn't even hear that many new albums... Let alone a TOP 50...

I think I heard like 5 new albums this year. I don't seek out new bands as much as I used to.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: bosk1 on December 06, 2016, 09:49:01 AM
For the first time in a year that Dream Theater released an album since probably Scenes, a Dream Theater album is NOT my album of the year.  Not that I don't love The Astonishing.  I do.  But it is one of those albums that is really difficult for me to rank.  There are songs I adore.  There are others I do not.  And, as with many concept albums, it is definitely a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.  But that said, it is so different and so outside the norm even for them that I have a tough time really ranking it.  And there were some other really strong contenders this year.  So here is my best shot at ranking:

1.  Fates Warning - I am late to the Fates party.  There have been a few songs here and there throughout their career that I liked, but they have been few and far in between.  And I can't say that I really gravitated toward any of their albums as a whole.  X was the first exception to that.  A good friend made me a copy of that album, and it really drew me in.  Darkness in a Different Light, IMO, was a major step up from that.  And Theories of Flight is, IMO, far and away the best thing they have ever done.  I consider it the album of their careers by a large margin.

2.  Neal Morse - The Similitude of a Dream:  This album is SO huge and dense.  I still have not nearly processed it all in the short time it has been out.   So it is quite possible that it will slide down the rankings a bit once the "new car smell" has worn off.  But for right now, I am really enjoying it.  I am not sure yet whether I agree with Mike Portnoy that it is the "album of his career," or even the best Neal Morse album (it would take a LOT for me to rank it ahead of One, Sola Scriptura, and Testimony), but it is REALLY good. 

3.  Dream Theater - The Astonishing:  What can I say?  Yeah, I'm a die hard fan who has liked every album they have released (although not every song).  This is no different.  It just doesn't rise to my #1 or even #2 spot.  Given that it is a concept album, and that it is a LONG one at that, I probably will eventually find that I do not make the time to listen to it every often, and the knowledge that that will happen sooner than perhaps it should for music of this quality kind of makes me sad.

4.  Redemption - The Art of Loss:  It took me awhile to warm up to this album.  Not sure why, but there was just something about it that wasn't clicking.  But it is a slow grower that I have learned to appreciate.  While not a fan of John Bush in general, his work on their cover of Love Reign O'er Me is one of the sickest things I have ever heard.

5.  Epica - The Holographic Principle:  Not nearly as strong as their last three releases, but not bad.  The bonus disk is REALLY cool.  Usually, bonus disks containing mostly acoustic or alternate mixes of songs are just novelties that don't get very many spins after the initial listen or two.  But both Fates and Epica are exceptions to the rule in that regard this year.

6.  Megadeth - Dystopia:  Solid release.  I was not expecting much, but this is a fun listen.

7.  Flotsam and Jetsam (self titled):  Just a fun modern thrash album that is great for a little adrenaline rush now and then.  True to form, they sprinkle in bits of social and political commentary, comedy, and nods to their influences throughout. 

8.  Lacuna Coil - Delirium:  I was pretty high on this album when it came out, but it kind of faded for me.  There are definitely some cool moments on it.  But for whatever reason, it just doesn't hold my interest long-term.

9.  Avantasia - Ghostlights:  Of the 9 new albums I bought this year, this was the biggest disappointment.  Not that it's bad.  But it doesn't come anywhere near The Mystery of Time and just doesn't hold my interest. 

10.  Trivium - Silence in the Snow:  I kind of feel bad ranking this album since I didn't even buy it.  But who does a top 9 and stops there without going to 10?  What I heard of it didn't do it for me.  I got into them on the In Waves album cycle when they opened for DT.  I really liked In Waves.  Vengeance Falls was pretty good as well, although not quite as strong as In Waves.  Went back and picked up Shogun.  There were some cool moments.  But overall, that album didn't do it for me, and I didn't listen to it more than a few times.  Silence really reminded me of Shogun.  And once I learned that a lot of the material came from the Shogun sessions, it became apparent why, so I never bothered to pick it up.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 06, 2016, 09:52:01 AM
This is by no means my finished ranking but the top 10 is unlikely to change that much. This is a more of a rough estimation that I’ve just thrown together, featuring all the new albums I've listened to this year.

The albums in bold are ones that I feel I haven’t given enough listens to finalise an official ranking yet. I’ve still got a few albums to check out before the end of the year as well. I’ll probably do a top 30 album thread after I have finished my roulette, in the new year. This certainly was a great year in music and I’ve discovered some great new bands (as well as having a few disappointments). Dream Theater, Volbeat and Wolfmother, in particular, released disappointing albums this year (for me at least). Thanks to the guys who have introduced me some of the albums below.



1. The Dear Hunter – Act V
2. Thank You, Scientist – Stranger Heads Prevail
3. Haken – Affinity
4. Blink 182 – California
5. Devin Townsend - Transcendence
6. Gojira – Magma
7. Ihsahn - Arktis
8. Opeth - Sorceress
9. Avengend Sevenfold – The Stage
10. Odd Logic – Penny for Your Thoughts
11. Megadeth – Dystopia
12. Oceans of Slumber – Winter
13. NOFX – First Ditch Effort
14. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
15. Mandroid Echostar – Coral Throne
16. Astronoid – Air
17. Anciients – Voice of the Void
18. The King Blues – Off With Their Heads
19. Vektor – Terminal Redux
20. Slice the Cake – Odyssey to the West
21. Fates Warning – Theories of Flight
22. Thy Catafalque - Meta
23. Dream Theater – The Astonishing
24. Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason
25. Volbeat – Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie
26. Witchcraft - Nucleus
27. Wolfmother  - Victorious

Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on December 06, 2016, 09:53:50 AM

10.  Trivium - Silence in the Snow:  I kind of feel bad ranking this album since I didn't even buy it.  But who does a top 9 and stops there without going to 10?  What I heard of it didn't do it for me.  I got into them on the In Waves album cycle when they opened for DT.  I really liked In Waves.  Vengeance Falls was pretty good as well, although not quite as strong as In Waves.  Went back and picked up Shogun.  There were some cool moments.  But overall, that album didn't do it for me, and I didn't listen to it more than a few times.  Silence really reminded me of Shogun.  And once I learned that a lot of the material came from the Shogun sessions, it became apparent why, so I never bothered to pick it up.

Was that this year ? Ah I forgot about that album. Yeah it was really good.

And I Loved The Astonishing too. I didn't care that it was softer and had no EPIC or song over 10 minutes or whatever. It was a nice journey.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 06, 2016, 10:08:29 AM

10.  Trivium - Silence in the Snow:  I kind of feel bad ranking this album since I didn't even buy it.  But who does a top 9 and stops there without going to 10?  What I heard of it didn't do it for me.  I got into them on the In Waves album cycle when they opened for DT.  I really liked In Waves.  Vengeance Falls was pretty good as well, although not quite as strong as In Waves.  Went back and picked up Shogun.  There were some cool moments.  But overall, that album didn't do it for me, and I didn't listen to it more than a few times.  Silence really reminded me of Shogun.  And once I learned that a lot of the material came from the Shogun sessions, it became apparent why, so I never bothered to pick it up.

Was that this year ? Ah I forgot about that album. Yeah it was really good.

And I Loved The Astonishing too. I didn't care that it was softer and had no EPIC or song over 10 minutes or whatever. It was a nice journey.

Silence in the Snow was the end of last year wasn't it? If not then it also needs to be on my list  :lol

EDIT: Yep, it was released Oct 2015
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: bosk1 on December 06, 2016, 10:16:15 AM
Oh.  Oops.  Disregard then.  Sorry about that.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 06, 2016, 10:18:12 AM
Oh.  Oops.  Disregard then.  Sorry about that.

You need to find another album to  make up your top 10 now.

Just listen to The Dear Hunter - Act V and after 1 listen you will agree it's the best album this year  :hefdaddy
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on December 06, 2016, 10:23:00 AM
Oh.  Oops.  Disregard then.  Sorry about that.

Yeah I wasn't sure tbh.

Great album nonetheless except for Pull Me From The Void. Don't care for that one. Rise Above The Tides is great.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: TAC on December 06, 2016, 10:29:50 AM
7.  Flotsam and Jetsam (self titled):  Just a fun modern thrash album that is great for a little adrenaline rush now and then.  True to form, they sprinkle in bits of social and political commentary, comedy, and nods to their influences throughout. 

 

That's a great description. F&J is "fun" metal. They are extremely loose and if you sit and examine every little thing they do, you might be disappointed. I've been a F&J fan since the mid 80's and this is easily one of their best ever releases.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: bosk1 on December 06, 2016, 10:35:20 AM
Just listen to The Dear Hunter - Act V and after 1 listen you will agree it's the best album this year  :hefdaddy

If it is anything like their past albums, I would likely vomit profusely, and then rank it at #10 only because I haven't listened to any other albums that I could rank lower.  No offense, but I have never liked them even a little bit.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Evermind on December 06, 2016, 10:41:44 AM
I keep going back and forth on this. Top 3 became defined when I became aware Fragments of Creation was released in 2016, but after this I'm not really sure. As of now, I think my list is:

1. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
2. iamthemorning - Lighthouse
3. Sunburst - Fragments of Creation

4. Avantasia - Ghostlights
5. Temperance - The Earth Embraces Us All
6. Haken - Affinity
7. Opeth - Sorceress
8. Redemption - The Art of Loss
9. Insomnium - Winter's Gate
10. Primal Fear - Rulebreaker

Honorable mentions:

Ihsahn - Arktis. (originally I thought it would make the Top 10, but I don't think I would pick it over any of the albums I mentioned)
Evergrey - The Storm Within
Headspace - All That You Fear Is Gone
Serious Black - Mirrorworld

The albums I still want to check out:

Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream
The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
Anciients - Voice of the Void
Theocracy - Ghost Ship
Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
Marillion - F.E.A.R

Overall, this year was pretty bland for me. I thought Ghostlights was pretty underwhelming compared to some other Avantasia records, and still I put it on #4. I think the only amazing album here is Theories of Flight, and the other two fantastic albums are Lighthouse and Fragments of Creation. Anything below that is good and sometimes great, but nothimg more.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: home on December 06, 2016, 10:43:09 AM
Just listen to The Dear Hunter - Act V and after 1 listen you will agree it's the best album this year  :hefdaddy

If it is anything like their past albums, I would likely vomit profusely, and then rank it at #10 only because I haven't listened to any other albums that I could rank lower.  No offense, but I have never liked them even a little bit.

 :omg: Have you even listened to Act IV? Could you try to explain why you don't even like them a little bit? Just curious :azn:
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: TAC on December 06, 2016, 10:44:08 AM
Honorable mentions:
 
Headspace - All That You Fear Is Gone
Serious Black - Mirrorworld

Still have yet to check these out. I liked both previous albums by the bands.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 06, 2016, 10:51:50 AM
Just listen to The Dear Hunter - Act V and after 1 listen you will agree it's the best album this year  :hefdaddy

If it is anything like their past albums, I would likely vomit profusely, and then rank it at #10 only because I haven't listened to any other albums that I could rank lower.  No offense, but I have never liked them even a little bit.

No offense taken in the slightest bit  :biggrin: we all like what we like.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: mikeyd23 on December 06, 2016, 11:06:49 AM
Just listen to The Dear Hunter - Act V and after 1 listen you will agree it's the best album this year  :hefdaddy

If it is anything like their past albums, I would likely vomit profusely, and then rank it at #10 only because I haven't listened to any other albums that I could rank lower.  No offense, but I have never liked them even a little bit.

 :omg: Have you even listened to Act IV? Could you try to explain why you don't even like them a little bit? Just curious :azn:

 :lol Yes can you please explain why your personal, musical taste does not align exactly with someone else?!?  :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on December 06, 2016, 11:12:19 AM
When you tell someone you're not a fan of a band they like and they insult you personally ?

Love that. Love that shit.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sacul on December 06, 2016, 11:23:08 AM
 :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 06, 2016, 11:50:04 AM
:corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Zantera on December 06, 2016, 11:59:48 AM
Reading through the lists here I got major deja vu from seeing the same albums appearing on 95% of the lists
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sacul on December 06, 2016, 12:23:48 PM
Well, most folks here are just into prog and power metal so that's expected :P
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 06, 2016, 12:24:50 PM
Well, most folks here are just into prog and power metal so that's expected :P

Yea pretty much expected to see lots of the same music as well as albums discussed thoroughly in their respective band's threads.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 06, 2016, 12:26:13 PM
Nice to see a smattering of punk albums on here, that's always a welcome surprise on a prog metal forum  :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: The Letter M on December 06, 2016, 01:27:33 PM
I haven't had a lot of time to devote to a lot of new music this year, but here's what I *have* heard and how I might rank them today (meaning it could change any day later). This is kind of based purely on frequency of listening to each album, trying to take into account when they came out in the year (so obviously something like The Astonishing, which has been out awhile, would have an advantage based on that fact alone, but not so much with me...):

1. Folklore by Big Big Train
2. Affinity by Haken
3. The Similitude Of A Dream by The Neal Morse Band
4. Falling Satellites  by Frost*
5. The Astonishing by Dream Theater
6. FEAR by Marillion
7. Pretending 2 Run by Tiles
8. Invention Of Knowledge by Anderson / Stolt
9.  Dot by Karmakanic
10. The Prelude Implicit by Kansas
11. The Great Unknown by Eric Gillette

At least, these are ten that I have thought of off the top of my head, and all got some decent plays over the last year from me.

-Marc.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Cyclopssss on December 07, 2016, 12:11:27 AM
1. Theories of Flight  - Fates Warning
2. Oceans of Slumber - Winter
3. Sorceress - Opeth
4. The Astonishing - Dream Theater
5. Metal Resistance - Babymetal

Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: RoeDent on December 07, 2016, 03:35:31 AM
Sorry. Clicked the wrong button. Move along.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sir Walrus Cauliflower on December 07, 2016, 08:29:28 AM
1. Act V - The Dear Hunter
2. Affinity - Haken
3. Periphery III - Periphery
4. Stranger Heads Prevail - Thank You Scientist
5. The Stage - Avenged Sevenfold
6. Terminal Redux - Vektor
7. Theories of Flight - Fates Warning
8. Inmates - VOLA
9. The Astonishing - Dream Theater
10. Sorceress - Opeth

Honorable mentions:
Passengers - Artifex Pereo
Vessels - Be'lakor
Air - Astronoid
Dreamless - Fallujah
Transcendence - Devin Townsend
A Means to No End - Destrage
Mothership - Dance Gavin Dance
Ancients - Voice of the Void
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Train of Naught on December 07, 2016, 08:38:05 AM
1. Act V - The Dear Hunter
2. Affinity - Haken
3. Periphery III - Periphery
4. Stranger Heads Prevail - Thank You Scientist
5. The Stage - Avenged Sevenfold
6. Terminal Redux - Vektor
7. Theories of Flight - Fates Warning
8. Inmates - VOLA
9. The Astonishing - Dream Theater
10. Sorceress - Opeth

Honorable mentions:
Passengers - Artifex Pereo
Vessels - Be'lakor
Air - Astronoid
Dreamless - Fallujah
Transcendence - Devin Townsend
A Means to No End - Destrage
Mothership - Dance Gavin Dance
Ancients - Voice of the Void
Wow, your top 5 is almost identical to mine, only I would replace Affinity with Odyssey to the West and swap around #2 with #1, but it's freaky how close our top 5's are :metal

I'm still working on my top 40 list. Might do the same thing luke did and bold the ones that still need more listens and rearrange the rankings later on if I'm certain. I am already sure about my top 5 anyway so it won't affect Evermind's eventual DTF top albums list.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: bosk1 on December 07, 2016, 08:43:53 AM
Just listen to The Dear Hunter - Act V and after 1 listen you will agree it's the best album this year  :hefdaddy

If it is anything like their past albums, I would likely vomit profusely, and then rank it at #10 only because I haven't listened to any other albums that I could rank lower.  No offense, but I have never liked them even a little bit.

 :omg: Have you even listened to Act IV? Could you try to explain why you don't even like them a little bit? Just curious :azn:

 :lol Yes can you please explain why your personal, musical taste does not align exactly with someone else?!?  :lol

Pretty much that.  It is just personal taste.  I don't recall it well enough to be able to point out specifics.  But I'm not sure specifics would help anyway.  It's not like there was anything that was outright bad, or there was something overtly offensive or inappropriate about the lyrics, or anything else I could somewhat objectively point to as "bad."  I just didn't like it.  Simple as that.  I think I still have the album on my shelf.  I can't decide whether that is because I just haven't got around to selling it back, or if part of me subconsciously just wants to boost my prog street cred by having it in my collection even though I don't listen to it.  :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: SoundscapeMN on December 07, 2016, 12:43:01 PM
Vola - Inmazes was actually released in February 2015. Maybe it was re-released?
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Skeever on December 07, 2016, 12:53:26 PM
I don't have a list ready, but I wouldn't recommend The Dear Hunter - Act V to anyone. Some of their other albums, sure. Act V is really a dude for me, though. TDH gone full Disney.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sir Walrus Cauliflower on December 07, 2016, 09:04:28 PM
1. Act V - The Dear Hunter
2. Affinity - Haken
3. Periphery III - Periphery
4. Stranger Heads Prevail - Thank You Scientist
5. The Stage - Avenged Sevenfold
*snip*
Wow, your top 5 is almost identical to mine, only I would replace Affinity with Odyssey to the West and swap around #2 with #1, but it's freaky how close our top 5's are :metal

I'm still working on my top 40 list. Might do the same thing luke did and bold the ones that still need more listens and rearrange the rankings later on if I'm certain. I am already sure about my top 5 anyway so it won't affect Evermind's eventual DTF top albums list.

I'm honestly surprised some else has ranked The Stage that high, but those are 5 ridiculously good albums imo.

Vola - Inmazes was actually released in February 2015. Maybe it was re-released?
Odd. Huh. Looks like you're right. I just got into them this year and on Spotify it's listed as 2016 so I just assumed. I did a little research and all I could find was a little release on bandcamp so that's weird. Thanks for pointing it out though.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Train of Naught on December 08, 2016, 04:09:48 AM
Inmazes was released in 2015 but it was not on Spotify at the time, I actually totally forgot about the album because it wasn't on Spotify :lol I might have to check it out though I remember not liking the songs I've heard of that album, I like their previous output more.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sir Walrus Cauliflower on December 08, 2016, 08:03:04 AM
I'm in love with that album. I love the syncopation and groove of djent but I get tired of the monotony of it and the harsh vocals, so having more melodic vocal melodies along with the groovy and djenty sound was a really pleasant change
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: dparrott on December 08, 2016, 08:15:28 AM
I forgot about Se Delan: Drifter.  Dark indie rock.  Kind of like BRMC with a female singer.  They're too new to be a favorite band of mine, but if they keep making more solid albums, they'll be up there.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Train of Naught on December 08, 2016, 08:24:53 AM
I'm in love with that album. I love the syncopation and groove of djent but I get tired of the monotony of it and the harsh vocals, so having more melodic vocal melodies along with the groovy and djenty sound was a really pleasant change
Sounds like you love / would love Protest the Hero's Volition then, that's the perfect combination of melodic vocals layered upon groovy instrumentals, mindblowingly good album.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sir Walrus Cauliflower on December 08, 2016, 10:55:25 AM
I do love that album. Yellow Teeth is one of my favorite tracks off of it. I didn't mention Pacific Myth in my top releases because it just gets exhausting I suppose. I mean, it's PTH, so I enjoy it a lot. I just wish it gave me a little room to breathe.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Train of Naught on December 08, 2016, 11:17:12 AM
Yeah I don't think they took the full album scope into account since they were releasing them one song at a time. I bet most of the income came from the subscription, I've never even listened to the full thing even though I subscribed almost right away and had the full collection of songs in early 2016 when Caravan got released.

Really the EP, instrumentally, is pretty fucking good. Though the vocals are very lackluster on almost all the songs. Also like you mentioned the instrumentals get exhausting when you play all of these songs back to back.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: dtvoices94 on December 08, 2016, 11:53:29 AM
1. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
2. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Let Me Get By
3. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
4. The Neal Morse Band - The Similtude of A Dream
5. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service
6. Death Angel - The Evil Divide
7. Anthrax - For All Kings
8. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel
9. The Marcus King Band - The Marcus King Band
10. Metallica - Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
11. David Bowie - Blackstar
12. Kansas - The Prelude Implicit
13. Megadeth - Dystopia
14. Testament - The Brotherhood of the Snake
15. Metal Church - XI
16. Redemption - The Art of Loss
17. Santana - IV
18. Eric Clapton - I Still Do
19. Various Artists - George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison
20. The Beatles - Live at the Hollywood Bowl
Also:
KISS - KISS Rocks Vegas
The Allman Brothers Band - Live from A&R Studios
Gov't Mule - The Tel-Star Sessions
Ace Frehley - Origins, Vol. 1
Artillery - Penalty by Perception
Lamb of God – The Duke EP
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood - If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home By Now [EP]
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: jakepriest on December 08, 2016, 05:18:08 PM
Album of the year:
Haken - Affinity

Amazing albums:
Devin Townsend - Transcendence
Dream Theater - The Astonishing
Periphery - Periphery III: This Time It's Personal
After The Burial - Dig Deep

Good albums:
Deftones - Gore
Gojira - Magma
Korn - The Serenity of Suffering
Fallujah - Dreamless

Meh albums:
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Billy Talent - Afraid of Heights
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self Destruct
Animals As Leaders - The Madness of Many (this one disappointed me a lot after the amazing Joy of Motion)

Biggest disappointment:
Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage (I could get past the terrible sounding vocals if the songs were top notch, but I find them mediocre at best, tried really hard to like this one)


Albums I still want to check out:
Epica - The Holographic Principle
The Dear Hunter - Act V
that Riverside EP

Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on December 08, 2016, 05:56:53 PM
Albums I still want to check out:
Epica - The Holographic Principle

Do check this out.  I can't put this album down and as like Bosk pointed out, the second disc of acoustic songs is really amazing.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: jakepriest on December 08, 2016, 06:27:06 PM
Albums I still want to check out:
Epica - The Holographic Principle

Do check this out.  I can't put this album down and as like Bosk pointed out, the second disc of acoustic songs is really amazing.

I definitely am gonna check it out, I'm just rarely in an Epica mood to be honest. I love playing their songs on guitar, but I usually get bored if I'm just listening to them for some reason. Don't know what's the issue.  :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: NoseofNicko on December 08, 2016, 07:20:39 PM
Albums I gave 8+/10:

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
David Bowie - Blackstar
Dream Theater - The Astonishing
Vektor - Terminal Redux
Swans - The Glowing Man
Opeth - Sorceress
Insomnium - Winter's Gate
Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas - Mariner
Moonsorrow - Jumalten aika
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Preoccupations - Preoccupations
Be'lakor - Vessels
Fates Warning - Theories of Flight
Haken - Affinity
ColdWorld - Autumn
The Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream

No specific order except the first.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: PuffyPat on December 08, 2016, 07:53:14 PM
music band - wake up laughing
death grips - bottomless pit
earthless/harsh toke - acid crusher/ mt swan
bon iver - 22, a million
nick cave and the bad seeds - skeleton tree
bear hands - you'll pay for this
kanye west - the life of pablo
animal collective - painting with
danny drown - atrocity exhibition
frank ocean - blond
jeff the brotherhood - zone
diarrhea planet - turn to gold
hollow earth - dead planet
david bowie - blackstar
nicolas jaar - sirens
sturgill simspson - a sailor's guide to earth
xiu xiu - xiu xiu plays the music of twin peaks

lemme add childish gambino - awaken my love to this.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Moor on December 09, 2016, 07:37:35 AM
Album of the year:
Haken - Affinity

Amazing albums:
Devin Townsend - Transcendence
Dream Theater - The Astonishing
Periphery - Periphery III: This Time It's Personal
After The Burial - Dig Deep

Good albums:
Deftones - Gore
Gojira - Magma
Korn - The Serenity of Suffering
Fallujah - Dreamless

Meh albums:
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Billy Talent - Afraid of Heights
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self Destruct
Animals As Leaders - The Madness of Many (this one disappointed me a lot after the amazing Joy of Motion)

Biggest disappointment:
Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage (I could get past the terrible sounding vocals if the songs were top notch, but I find them mediocre at best, tried really hard to like this one)


Albums I still want to check out:
Epica - The Holographic Principle
The Dear Hunter - Act V
that Riverside EP

Based on your list shouldn't Sorceress appear somewhere above?
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: jakepriest on December 09, 2016, 08:11:10 AM
I'm not a big fan of Opeth to be honest. I'm not keen on Akerfeldt's growls (though I absolutely love his cleans on The Human Equation) and the instrumentation kind of bores me from what I've heard.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Big Hath on December 09, 2016, 11:33:20 AM
I'm not keen on Akerfeldt's growls (though I absolutely love his cleans on The Human Equation)

he hasn't growled on a studio release since 2008
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: jakepriest on December 09, 2016, 11:57:54 AM
I'm not keen on Akerfeldt's growls (though I absolutely love his cleans on The Human Equation)

he hasn't growled on a studio release since 2008

I might check the new album out when I have some time then.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Crow on December 09, 2016, 12:09:22 PM
The last three Opeth albums are all 70's throwback albums with no growls yeah

shame they're not very interesting. I tried with heritage and I tried with pale communion and with sorceress I haven't even gotten the album & probably won't
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Big Hath on December 09, 2016, 12:12:55 PM
Pale Communion is really good.  Sorceress is a small step down.  Heritage is ok with some bright spots, but ultimately I think they were still finding their way with the new sound/direction on that album.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kwyjibo on December 09, 2016, 12:17:35 PM
Pale Communion is really good.  Sorceress is a small step down.  Heritage is meh with a few good spots, but ultimately I think they were still finding their way with the new sound/direction on that album.

FTFM

I got the feeling that they are kind of searching since before Watershed, from Ghost Reveries onward there's a lot of change in sound and style.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Lowdz on December 09, 2016, 01:37:01 PM
The last three Opeth albums are all 70's throwback albums with no growls yeah

shame they're not very interesting. I tried with heritage and I tried with pale communion and with sorceress I haven't even gotten the album & probably won't

As a growl hater, I was looking forward to Opeth leaving them behind because I've always thought I would like them without the horror film vocals. Unfortunately, as you say, they are pretty bland.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Train of Naught on December 10, 2016, 03:46:36 AM
Alright, this should be pretty accurate:


Bad
41. Rival Sons - Hollow Bones


Not bad but slightly disappointing
40. Messenger - Threnodies
39. Destrage - A Means to No End
38. Devin Townsend - Transcendence
37. Shokran - Exodus
36. Ivar Bjornsson & Einar Selvik's Skuggsja - Skuggsja
35. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
34. Pyramido - Vatten
33. O'kingdom - Anthem for the Lost
32. Twelve Foot Ninja - Outlier
31. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight

Good albums
30. Circus Maximus - Havoc
29. Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
28. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
27. Thy Catafalque - Meta
26. Dream the Electric Sleep - Beneath the Dark Wide Sky
25. Toothgrinder - Nocturnal Masquerade
24. Gramatik - Epigram
23. Myrath - Legacy
22. Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
21. Haken - Affinity
20. Lemaitre - 1749
19. Gojira - Magma
18. Obsidian Kingdom - A Year With No Summer
17. Wardruna - Runaljod - Ragnarok
16. Mandroid Echostar - Coral Throne

Great albums
15. Car Bomb - Meta
14. Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
13. MONO - Requiem for Hell
12. Deftones - Gore
11. Plini - Handmade Cities
10. Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail
9. Ihsahn - Arktis.
8. Cult of Luna ft. Julie Christmas - Mariner
7. Sean Ashe - Flux
6. Novembre - URSA

Fantastic albums
5. Alcest - Kodama
4. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
3. Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty
2. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional

Album of the year
1. Slice the Cake - Odyssey to the West(/Odyssey to the Gallows)



Albums I checked out but will not be able to rank
Death Grips - Bottomless Pit
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Oceans of Slumber - Winter
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Dissona - Paleopneumatic
An Endless Sporadic - Magic Machine
Solution .45 - Nightmares in the Waking State pt. 2
Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us
Dance Gavin Dance - Mothership
Avantasia - Ghostlights
Riverside - Eye of the Soundscape
Avatar - Feathers & Flesh
Be'Lakor - Vessels
Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAP
Anciients - Voice of the Void


Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Nekov on December 12, 2016, 07:16:16 AM
Doing a top 5 because I haven't listened to that many albums this year, there are some that need more listens and there are some that haven't received any yet.

Without a doubt album of the year

Haken - Affinity

Other top 4 in no particular order

Wintersleep - The Great Detachment
Dream the Electric Sleep - Beneath the Dark Wide Sky
Alcest - Kodama
Papadosio - Pattern Integrities
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Elite on December 14, 2016, 03:31:30 PM
According to my album list of 2016, I already checked out 36 albums, and I still have around 15 left on my list that I have yet to listen to. Of the ones I have listened to, this is a pretty accurate top 10, I believe.

This might be the heaviest end-of-the-year list I have ever made:

1. Obsidian Kingdom - A Year With no Summer
Yeah, well. This has basically been my 'jam' all the way through the year. A stunning record in all aspects. Very different from their first one, Mantiis, which I actually like slightly better, but so very good throughout. It's probably an acquired taste though, even though I've sent songs in many a roulette, they didn't always receive high scores at all.

2. Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
This might well be the best album these Swedes have ever released. Holy shit, some of the stuff that's going on here is absolutely insane. If you thought this band's creativity had gotten stale, their renewed interest in actual guitar amps, instead of digital sounds, made for a stunning metal album.

3. Ihsahn - Arktis.
Superb quality throughout, the black metal mastermind shows us that he's capable of far more than just blast-beats and high-pitched shrieks.

4. Cult of Luna ft. Julie Christmas - Mariner
Julie Christmas is the highlight on this record, that women's voice ranges from soft croons to complete satanic mayhem. Very nice and atmospheric, but very heavy as well. Amazing stuff.

5. Kayo Dot - Plastic House on Base of Sky
Toby Driver delivers a peculiar, weird album focusing on synthesizers, more than anything else. The album's centerpiece has some haunting stuff going on in the middle, while the overall vibs of the album is something I haven't heard before. Special stuff.

6. Losers - How To Ruin Other People's Futures
This trio creates some of the most messed up sounds, utilising synthesizers and guitars, as well as vocals to get the job done. Metal mixed with dubstep done best.

7. Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAP
The experimental group's latest album fails to be coherent in some places, but in others the band shines like they usually do. Not their best, but contains some very good stuff. Of special interest is the sixteenth anniversary re-recording of 'Nowhere / Catastrophe', from their album perdition City.

8. Slice the Cake - Odyssey to the West
Yeah, this one. While it initially wowed me, it has lost some steam on subsequent listens. Still very solid throughout.

9. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional
I had expected more from this record, but it's still pretty damn good. It doesn't top ACt IV or Act II, and some sections of songs feel unnecessary. Where it's good though, it's usually really good.

10. Gojira - Magma
Gojira took an alternative route. Instead of going all out, this record is far more laid-back than their previous records. Focusing more on textures and song-writing, the band crafted an album unique in their discography, with some very strong songs scattered on the disc.

Just missed the cut:
Haken - Affinity
Anciients - Voice of the Void
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: KevShmev on December 14, 2016, 07:22:05 PM
I just realized I didn't even mention the Anderson/Stolt album in my write-up.  Probably because it was so bland that I have literally listened to it only a handful of times, despite being a huge fan of both artists.  What a disappointment.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on December 17, 2016, 04:58:34 AM
This is by no means my finished ranking but the top 10 is unlikely to change that much. This is a more of a rough estimation that I’ve just thrown together, featuring all the new albums I've listened to this year.

The albums in bold are ones that I feel I haven’t given enough listens to finalise an official ranking yet. I’ve still got a few albums to check out before the end of the year as well. I’ll probably do a top 30 album thread after I have finished my roulette, in the new year. This certainly was a great year in music and I’ve discovered some great new bands (as well as having a few disappointments). Dream Theater, Volbeat and Wolfmother, in particular, released disappointing albums this year (for me at least). Thanks to the guys who have introduced me some of the albums below.



1. The Dear Hunter – Act V
2. Thank You, Scientist – Stranger Heads Prevail
3. Haken – Affinity
4. Blink 182 – California
5. Devin Townsend - Transcendence
6. Gojira – Magma
7. Ihsahn - Arktis
8. Opeth - Sorceress
9. Avengend Sevenfold – The Stage
10. Odd Logic – Penny for Your Thoughts
11. Megadeth – Dystopia
12. Oceans of Slumber – Winter
13. NOFX – First Ditch Effort
14. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
15. Mandroid Echostar – Coral Throne
16. Astronoid – Air
17. Anciients – Voice of the Void
18. The King Blues – Off With Their Heads
19. Vektor – Terminal Redux
20. Slice the Cake – Odyssey to the West
21. Fates Warning – Theories of Flight
22. Thy Catafalque - Meta
23. Dream Theater – The Astonishing
24. Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason
25. Volbeat – Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie
26. Witchcraft - Nucleus
27. Wolfmother  - Victorious

I'm gonna give a bit of an update with this. Slightly revised ranking, including an extra album added:

1. The Dear Hunter – Act V
2. Thank You, Scientist – Stranger Heads Prevail
3. Haken – Affinity
4. Blink 182 – California
5. Devin Townsend - Transcendence
6. Gojira – Magma
7. Ihsahn - Arktis
8. Opeth - Sorceress
9. Avengend Sevenfold – The Stage
10. Odd Logic – Penny for Your Thoughts
11. Megadeth – Dystopia
12. Mandroid Echostar – Coral Throne
13. Oceans of Slumber – Winter
14. Astronoid – Air
15. NOFX – First Ditch Effort
16. Thy Catafalque - Meta
17. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
18. Anciients – Voice of the Void
19. The King Blues – Off With Their Heads
20. Vektor – Terminal Redux
21. Slice the Cake – Odyssey to the West
22. Fates Warning – Theories of Flight
23. Dream Theater – The Astonishing
24. Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason
25. Volbeat – Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie
26. Witchcraft - Nucleus
27. The Avalanches - Wildflower
28. Wolfmother  - Victorious
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: johnnysuperfan on December 19, 2016, 07:47:18 PM
my top 10:

1) The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness

2) Haken - Affinity

3) Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail

4) Fire Garden - Far And Near

5) Glass Hammer - Valkyrie

6) Opeth - Sorceress

7) Fates Warning - Theories Of Flight

8) Frost* - Falling Satellites

9) Redemption - The Art Of Loss

10) Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: TAC on December 19, 2016, 07:52:24 PM
Johnny, I thought you only showed up when there was Pyramid Theorem news.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: johnnysuperfan on December 19, 2016, 08:00:13 PM
Johnny, I thought you only showed up when there was Pyramid Theorem news.

if they actually had any news I'd be here, lol

thanks for remembering  ;D
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: mike099 on December 20, 2016, 11:24:20 AM
Johnny, I thought you only showed up when there was Pyramid Theorem news.

if they actually had any news I'd be here, lol

thanks for remembering  ;D

Yea, I really liked the two songs they released with a video.  I read somewhere these guys have day jobs and do this on the side.  Are these guys self produced and not signed to a label?  I purchased the self titled and listen to it quite a bit.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Moor on December 21, 2016, 07:16:18 AM
My top 6 albums for 2016:

1. Dream Theater – The Astonishing
2. Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream
3. Haken – Affinity
4. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
5. Devin Townsend - Transcendence
6. Opeth - Sorceress

I still want to listen to:

Fates Warning – Theories of Flight
Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Zantera on December 22, 2016, 03:28:07 AM
Just going with the top30 because no need to flood up the page with all the albums I had on my full list. :)

1. The Sea Nymphs - On the Dry Land
2. Kayo Dot - Plastic House on Base of Sky
3. Swans - The Glowing Man
4. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
5. Damien Jurado - Visions of Us on the Land
6. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
7. Vektor - Terminal Redux
8. Xiu Xiu - Plays the Music of Twin Peaks
9. Nick Cave - Skeleton Tree
10. Cult of Luna - Mariner
11. Alcest - Kodama
12. Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid
13. Knifeworld - Bottled Out of Eden
14. James Blake - The Colour in Anything
15. Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
16. American Football - American Football
17. British Theatre - Mastery
18. Preoccupations - Preoccupations
19. Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail
20. Tycho - Epoch
21. David Bowie - Blackstar
22. Oathbreaker - Rheia
23. Neurosis - Fires Within Fires
24. Frameworks - Smother
25. Touche Amore - Stage Four
26. The Hotelier - Goodness
27. The Dear Hunter - Act V - Hymns With the Devil in Confessional
28. Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty
29. Oceans of Slumber - Winter
30. Death Grips - Bottomless Pit


Full list:
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/favorite-albums-of-2016/
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: The Curious Orange on December 22, 2016, 05:30:25 AM
1. Big Big Train - Folklore
2. Marillion - FEAR
3. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Let Me Get By
4. Drive By Truckers - American Band
5. Delain - Moonbathers
6. Blues Pills - Lady In Gold
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: ghostnotes on December 22, 2016, 07:22:15 AM
List incoming, just want to call attention to two are sleeping on so your lists can be saved (you're welcome):

Mutant - Pleiades (even if you're only into Mastodon a smidgen you need to hear this! It's that with better riffs and a more prog/groove metal flavor. Crank. It. Up.)
Every Time I Die - Low Teens (their best album in a long string of great alt-/southern- metalcore releases. I've blown two car speakers to this one this year.)


Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Sacul on December 22, 2016, 11:15:40 AM
Just going with the top30 because no need to flood up the page with all the albums I had on my full list. :)

*snip*

Full list:
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/favorite-albums-of-2016/ (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/favorite-albums-of-2016/)
Hope you can save the writeups from the previous list you had, it was a great one!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Zantera on December 22, 2016, 02:53:50 PM
I didn't actually do write-ups this time but I could edit that in probably. Wasn't aware that someone enjoyed reading it.  :angel:
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: kaos2900 on December 23, 2016, 07:56:06 AM
Here's my Top 10 of 2016.

1. Alter Bridge- The Last Hero
2. Neal Morse- The Similitude of a Dream
3. Haken- Affinity
4. Fates Warning- Theories of Flight
5. Dream Theater- The Astonishing
6. The Dear Hunter- Act V
7. Metallica- Hardwired to Self Destruct
8. Damion Wilson- Weir Keeper's Tale
9. Opeth- Sorcerous
10. Devin Townsend- Transcendance
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Evermind on January 21, 2017, 02:35:44 AM
Hey guys, just a reminder that I will be counting the votes at the end of this month, so if your lists for 2016 have changed, you might want to edit your original posts.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Tomislav95 on January 21, 2017, 02:41:40 AM
Devin sneaked in on my #5 :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Scorpion on January 21, 2017, 02:52:41 AM
I have done so! I've also added a ranking, even though it was very hard to do so. I suppose there's stuff that I'm forgetting, but at first glance, the list looks pretty good to me.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on January 21, 2017, 02:53:38 AM
I'll redo my list before the end of the month  :biggrin:
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: ThatOneGuy2112 on January 24, 2017, 10:14:44 PM
I'm not even close to getting to listen to all the albums I wanted to get to last year, but as it stands, here's where I'm at.

1.   David Bowie – ★ (Blackstar)
2.   Swans – The Glowing Man
3.   Ulver – ATGCLVLSSCAP
4.   Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
5.   Matt Elliott – The Calm Before
6.   Matmos – Ultimate Care II
7.   Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us
8.   Preoccupations – Preoccupations
9.   Haken – Affinity
10.   Roly Porter – Third Law
Title: uwu
Post by: Sacul on January 25, 2017, 02:35:48 AM
1. Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAP
2. Kashiwa Daisuke - program music II
3. Obsidian Kingdom - A Year with no Summer
4. David Bowie - Blackstar
5. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
6. Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid
7. Swans - The Glowing Man
8. Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
9. Nils Frahm & Olafur Arnalds - Trance Frendz
10. Iamthemorning - Lighthouse
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Elite on January 25, 2017, 03:12:15 AM
According to my album list of 2016, I already checked out 36 albums, and I still have around 15 left on my list that I have yet to listen to. Of the ones I have listened to, this is a pretty accurate top 10, I believe.

This might be the heaviest end-of-the-year list I have ever made:

1. Obsidian Kingdom - A Year With no Summer
2. Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
3. Ihsahn - Arktis.
4. Cult of Luna ft. Julie Christmas - Mariner
5. Kayo Dot - Plastic House on Base of Sky
6. Losers - How To Ruin Other People's Futures
7. Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAP
8. Slice the Cake - Odyssey to the West
9. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional
10. Gojira - Magma

I think my list is still pretty accurate, although I kind of want to slip in Radiohead's album as well. I only really started listening to that one in the last two weeks of december (and then my girlfriend gave me the record for Christmas) and I really appreciate how awesome it actually is.

Now that I look back on this list, albums 8-10 are albums I haven't revisited in the past month, while there's some albums not on this list that I have listened to quite extensively ('Air' by Astronoid comes to mind).

Evermind, if you're only counting top 5, then this list will probably still do. If you're going for a top 10, then I might need to reconsider some choices.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on January 25, 2017, 08:55:55 AM

1. The Dear Hunter – Act V
2. Thank You, Scientist – Stranger Heads Prevail
3. Haken – Affinity
4. Blink 182 – California
5. Devin Townsend - Transcendence
6. Gojira – Magma
7. Ihsahn - Arktis
8. Opeth - Sorceress
9. Avengend Sevenfold – The Stage
10. Odd Logic – Penny for Your Thoughts
11. Megadeth – Dystopia
12. Mandroid Echostar – Coral Throne
13. Oceans of Slumber – Winter
14. Astronoid – Air
15. NOFX – First Ditch Effort
16. Thy Catafalque - Meta
17. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
18. Anciients – Voice of the Void
19. The King Blues – Off With Their Heads
20. Vektor – Terminal Redux
21. Slice the Cake – Odyssey to the West
22. Fates Warning – Theories of Flight
23. Dream Theater – The Astonishing
24. Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep of Reason
25. Volbeat – Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie
26. Witchcraft - Nucleus
27. The Avalanches - Wildflower
28. Wolfmother  - Victorious

I know I said I was going to revise but I actually think I'm happy with this. Evermind, you're only tallying the top 5 for everyone right? My top 5 is set so I'm happy with this. Any changes would likely be further down the rankings anyway.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: RoeDent on January 25, 2017, 09:48:07 AM
I've altered some of the lower-ranking albums in my list, but my top 5 is still as it was. I've just moved Valley of the Windmill by Circa from 8th to 6th place. The album finally clicked with me in the time after I made my post.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Evermind on January 25, 2017, 10:16:21 AM
Yep, officially only counting Top 5 so there would be more people eligible. As a separate thing, I may count Top 10s just for fun. But yeah, the official AOTY will be determined by everyone's Top 5.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Luoto on January 25, 2017, 10:51:02 AM
I'll drop in my top 5 real quick:

1. Insomnium - Winter's Gate
2. Thrawsunblat - Metachthonia
3. Astronoid - Air
4. Be'lakor - Vessels
5. Oddland - Origin
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on January 25, 2017, 02:12:40 PM
3. Astronoid - Air

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...............

 :metal :metal :metal

But the #1 worst album cover  :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Crow on January 25, 2017, 02:21:49 PM
My order for that got cancelled so I had to reorder it elsewhere but I'm pretty hyped to get it

I can't really do my top 5 of 2016 because I have a decent number of 2016 albums in my latest batch that I still want to be able to consider...
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on January 25, 2017, 02:27:50 PM
My order for that got cancelled so I had to reorder it elsewhere but I'm pretty hyped to get it

I can't really do my top 5 of 2016 because I have a decent number of 2016 albums in my latest batch that I still want to be able to consider...

Yea, Air is pretty great. It's not in my top 5 but it's a really cool album. I know what you mean about 2016 albums you're late to. I've just recently gotten around to Bronze by Crippled Black Phoenix, that was an impressive first listen and I need to listen more  :metal
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: jakepriest on January 25, 2017, 02:40:33 PM
My order for that got cancelled so I had to reorder it elsewhere but I'm pretty hyped to get it

I can't really do my top 5 of 2016 because I have a decent number of 2016 albums in my latest batch that I still want to be able to consider...

Act V is top 1 that's all that matters
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: pain of occupation on January 31, 2017, 02:17:03 PM
5. Giraffe Tongue Orchestra - Broken Lines
I was hyped on this months before it was ever released...and it ended up being even better than I was expecting. if anyone can point me in the direction of more alternative rock and alternative metal somewhere along these lines, just make sure it's the scenic route. there's a lot of danceable energy to this one; further cements my desire to start a dance-rock band once I learn to play my instrument with any sort confidence and adequate ability. I just hope these guys follow it up with a sophomore effort, and sooner rather than later.

4. Periphery - P3: Select Difficulty
hey! an album on my list that made a few other top 5's on this forum! I've been along for the ride since Periphery's first album dropped, and despite how much I loved Juggernaut, with Select Difficulties, they've somehow continued the unsustainable pattern of once again one-up'ing the predecessor.  I wish I could complain about the decrease in guitar solos, but how can I when it's perfect just the way it is(?). Not sure what else to say, other than I've been planning to photoshop Misha's head into a bunch of my wedding photos (I need to replace somebody). oh, I know, I'll give a shoutout to Catch Fire for combining the likes of Faith No More verses with the likes of Evanescence choruses and the likes of a One Direction bridge with some overarching Periphery flare for one of the best accessible tunes of the year.

3. Paul Gilbert - I Can Destroy
no one writes and executes standards like this guy. i belly flopped into Paul's discography after hearing Vibrato in 2012, and he's gotta be my most listened to artist in the 4 years post discovery. [(un)interestingly, despite being a big instrumental fan, i don't particularly care for his 3 vocal-free albums of originals (though I am huge on the instrumental stylings on aforementioned Vibrato as well as the covers LP)]. and yeah, I Can Destroyprobably remains my new favorite Paul album, despite the fact there's been enough time for the romance to wear off at this point! not so fun fact: the Japanese bonus track is a candidate for the album's top tune...Shazam doesn't even know that song exists, fuck.

2. Destrage - A Means To No End
my album of the year (or so i thought...). I stumbled upon Destrage's Are You Kidding Me? No. in November 2015 and immediately fanboy'd the isht out of it. Even after the arbitrary romance period, I realized I had a new retroactive 2014 AOTY (sorry bout your luck, Closure In Moscow's Pink Lemonade). while AYKM?N remained in heavy rotation for nearly a year, it had a few hundred spins, and I was more than ready for it's follow up, aka my most anticipated album of the year...it had the sort of expectations I've tried to simmer in recent years for the most eagerly anticipated releases...but it wouldn't have mattered; the album didn't disappoint at all! still too early to tell, but I think I even like it more than its predecessor. it's the type of follow up to an AOTY that makes me think I might have a new favorite band.

1. Cyborg Octopus - Learning To Breathe
circa a week before Christmas, I see Destrage link to a "top albums of the year" list they made from MetalInjection...SO GLAD I checked out the dude's list, cuz I'm obsessed with this gem he unearthed (perhaps unhealthily obsessed; perhaps shouldn't be 'so glad'). despite only spending 6 or 7 weeks with this treasure, I'm confident it shall remain my AOTY after the romance has worn off. I'm just disappointed I didn't see anyone else mention it in their lists; this is the type of album I used to come to DTForums to help me discover...I see a thread was seeded many months ago but died stillborn, RIP. 8-(

Honorable mentions:
Steve Vai - Modern Primitive. Steve's my guy. Love him to death. this album's ambitious and killer (as per usual). but something had to get bumped from my top5 when I got into Cyborg Octopus, and I s'pose I docked this one a few points for being mostly old songs that are finally being brought to life, and for the bummer of a fact I haven't been revisiting it recently.
Orbs - Past Life Regression. this one was initially a disappointment for me. mostly cuz of the expectations it was cursed with for being the follow up to my 2010 AOTY. but it's been heavy in the rotation lately, and it has grown on me immensely...'cept for that one song; maybe it just needs another week.
The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional. another one that suffers from having to live up to it's predecessor, but a tall drink of quality, no doubt. anyway, I don't think it's gonna suffer from missing out on my top 5 as far as the ballot stuffing on DTF's AOTY goes ;-) 
Levin Minnemann Rudess - From the Law Offices of Levin Minnemann Rudess. man, these dudes are my dudes. despite a decent amount of spins, I haven't fully wrapped my head around the entirety of this one; I could see it retroactively climbing up my 2016 rankings in due time.
Haken - Affinity. to be honest, I just haven't been in the mood to really dive into it for some reason...but I'm sure if I do, I could fall in love with it. maybe I'll further try forcing it on myself in the coming weeks.

Disappointments(?):
Dream Theater - The Astonishing. so, here's the thing...I purchased this album the weekend it dropped...and I still haven't listened to it :-I. honestly, I was quite intrigued when the concept was first announced prior to the release. my gusto waned a little when I seen the track lengths and track quantities. but that's petty. it wasn't until more and more tidbits of negative feedback found their way to me that my gumption essentially disappeared completely. trippy enough, a lot of that was on this forum just from catching random remarks in this here General Music Discussion subforum (in fact, I don't think I read any of the reactions on the All Things Dream Theater subforum). anyway, I'm near certain I'm not gonna be impressed and still have no desire to give it a chance and be left legitimately disappointed. the wife didn't hate it, but she hardly revisited it, so that doesn't help it's cause.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: WebRaider on January 31, 2017, 11:12:21 PM
My 2016 Albums of the Year

1. Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
2. Slice the Cake - Odyssey to the West
3. Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty
4. Gojira - Magma
5. Black Crown Initiate - Selves We Cannot Forgive
6. Frost* - Falling Satellites
7. Moon Tooth - Chromaparagon
8. Anciients - Voice of the Void
9. Deftones - Gore
10. Vola - Inmazes
11. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
12. Car Bomb - Meta
13. Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
14. Norma Jean - Polar Similar
15. The Black Queen - Fever Daydream


Lots of great stuff right outside and have moved in and out of top 15 throughout 2016 for me:

Megadeth - Dystopia
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Fallujah - Dreamless
Astronoid- Air
The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional
Metallica - Hardwired To Self Destruct
Steve Vai - Modern Primative
Protest the Hero - Pacific Myth
Giraffe Tongue Orchestra - Broken Lines
Opeth - Sorceress
Childish Gambino - Awaken My Love
Mutant - Pleiades
Twelve Foot Ninja - Outlier
Fates Warning - Theories Of Flight
Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering
Alter Bridge - The Last Hero
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Evermind on February 01, 2017, 11:21:10 AM
Alright, I'm about to start counting the votes. As it turns out, 34 lists are eligible (which means they have at least five albums in particular order). The results are either coming up today or tomorrow, depends on how much time will it take to count everything.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: romdrums on February 01, 2017, 11:33:54 AM
My Top Five:

Meshuggah- The Violent Sleep of Reason
Frost*- Falling Satellites
Haken- Affinity
Textures- Phenotype
Periphery- Periphery III: Select Difficulty

Full list: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/romdrum/favorites-from-2016/
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Evermind on February 01, 2017, 12:34:11 PM
A quick explanation how the points were counted: the #1 album in the list received 5 points, the #2 album got 4 points, and so on. Nothing special or complicated.

Okay, so with 34 lists counted, here's our official DTF 2016 Top 5 Albums of the Year!

1. Haken - Affinity with 52 points (featured in 14 lists, 4 times at the 1st place)

2. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight with 40 points (featured in 11 lists, 5 times at the 1st place)

3. Dream Theater - The Astonishing with 37 points (featured in 12 lists, 3 times at the 1st place)

4. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional with 33 points (featured in 8 lists, 3 times at the 1st place)

5. The Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream with 17 points (featured in 5 lists)

The next five bands are:

6. Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence (15 points)
7. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage (14 points)
7. Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail (14 points)
9. Big Big Train - Folklore (13 points)
9. Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty (13 points)

There were 79 bands/albums mentioned total in the lists.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on February 01, 2017, 12:39:10 PM
I thought Fates Warning would snatch it and I'm actually astonished :neverusethis: that DT made it into the top 5!!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Crow on February 01, 2017, 12:58:24 PM
Astonishingly boring :V
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: cramx3 on February 01, 2017, 01:40:38 PM
I thought Fates Warning would snatch it and I'm actually astonished :neverusethis: that DT made it into the top 5!!

You'd think on a DT fan forum that wouldn't be surprising  :lol
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: The Letter M on February 01, 2017, 04:49:55 PM
A quick explanation how the points were counted: the #1 album in the list received 5 points, the #2 album got 4 points, and so on. Nothing special or complicated.

Okay, so with 34 lists counted, here's our official DTF 2016 Top 5 Albums of the Year!

1. Haken - Affinity with 52 points (featured in 14 lists, 4 times at the 1st place)

2. Fates Warning - Theories of Flight with 40 points (featured in 11 lists, 5 times at the 1st place)

3. Dream Theater - The Astonishing with 37 points (featured in 12 lists, 3 times at the 1st place)

4. The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns With the Devil in Confessional with 33 points (featured in 8 lists, 3 times at the 1st place)

5. The Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream with 17 points (featured in 5 lists)
Concept albums, concept albums everywhere... This looks like a great top 5, and surprisingly, Neal Morse's album made it here, despite having only been out for about 2 months now. I've got that, Haken and DT, but haven't really gotten into FW or TDH, the latter of which I keep hearing a lot about. Maybe it's time I get into them?


The next five bands are:

6. Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence (15 points)
7. Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage (14 points)
7. Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail (14 points)
9. Big Big Train - Folklore (13 points)
9. Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty (13 points)

There were 79 bands/albums mentioned total in the lists.

So glad to see BBT make it in the top 10! Easily one of my favorite albums of 2016, and one of the more underrated bands in the world of prog rock!

-Marc.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: RoeDent on February 02, 2017, 01:59:49 PM
No complaints about the no. 1 at all. Not my personal #1, but a fantastic album all the same. Really happy The Astonishing is #3 too.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on March 18, 2017, 04:43:09 AM
I'm planning to start a thread ranking my top 25 albums of last year soon guys, if anyone is interested?

I really need to sit and give them all one proper listen again and to do a write up. I'll probably do a little 'honourable mentions' post but as I only listened to 31 albums last year the ones that didn't make the top 25 are ones I checked out and didn't really like or wasn't impressed by.

Anywho, if there is interest I'll try and start it up within the next week or so  :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Tomislav95 on March 18, 2017, 04:57:00 AM
 :tup
I heard a lot of new albums in 2016 but I know there will be some I don't know. Either way, it will be interesting :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on March 18, 2017, 04:59:53 AM
Astonishingly boring :V


Nah that would be Ed Sheeran or someone like that. Their music is like microwave food. Takes 2 mins to make and has no nutritional value at all.

a 34 track 130 minute prog metal concept album ? nah.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: home on March 18, 2017, 05:23:25 AM
I'll follow it Luke, could be interesting!


1. Haken - Affinity with 52 points (featured in 14 lists, 4 times at the 1st place)
NICE!  ;D
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on March 18, 2017, 05:27:27 AM
:tup
I heard a lot of new albums in 2016 but I know there will be some I don't know. Either way, it will be interesting :corn

I'll follow it Luke, could be interesting!

Don't get your hopes up, I can't guarantee it will be interesting  :| most of the albums on my list will be ones that most people around here will be familiar with. There are a few punk rock albums on there so they may be the only ones that you might not know. There won't be many surprises I don't think but we'll see how it pans out.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Tomislav95 on March 18, 2017, 05:34:32 AM
I like to read about albums I already know and disagree with you so it'll be ok :biggrin:
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on March 18, 2017, 05:52:20 AM
Ok cool, I may try and get the first post up this evening then  :corn
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Bolsters on March 18, 2017, 06:05:10 AM
Turns out I never got around to making a list. So if anyone cares, here is my top thirteen listed alphabetically (since I'm too lazy to attempt to put these into any order, or to narrow the list down to ten). :lol

All Hail The Silence - AHTS-1
Almanac - Tsar
Avantasia - Ghostlights
Circle of Dust - Machines of our Disgrace
Djelmash - Crossroads
FM-84 - Atlas
Glades - This is What it's Like
Haken - Affinity
LeBrock - Action & Romance
Long Distance Calling - Trips
Scandroid - Scandroid
Tegan and Sara - Love You To Death
The Midnight - Endless Summer


Also:
I'll follow it Luke, could be interesting!
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: twosuitsluke on March 18, 2017, 06:33:22 AM
Also, this will be a good opportunity for you guys to point out albums that are missing, that I haven't gotten around to listening to.

Off the top of my head I know I haven't listened to the most recent offerings from Periphery, Destrage, Frost* etc, among others.
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: FOXAN03 on March 30, 2017, 03:02:28 AM
1) Trees of Eternity - Hour of Nightingale
2) Haken - Infinity
3) Babymetal - Metal Resistance
4) Devin Townsend Project - Trancendence
5) Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage
6) Metallica - Hardwired to Self Destruct
7) The Glowing Man - Swans
8) Gojira – Magma
9) Ihsahn - Arktis
10) Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis

The Astonishing was no where near this list such a disappointment
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Kotowboy on March 30, 2017, 04:04:26 AM
Really? I thought Biffy's album was pure dog shit. Easily their worst album for me.

Opposites was a near masterpiece.

Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: FOXAN03 on March 30, 2017, 08:05:58 AM
I liked it Opposites was good but this was I thought was an improvement. Admittedly there is a big gap in quality between 9-10 on that top 10
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: FOXAN03 on March 30, 2017, 08:13:26 AM
Still so Sad there will never be another Trees of Eternity album
Title: Re: 2016 Albums of the Year
Post by: Nachtmerrie on March 30, 2017, 01:06:44 PM
1) Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream
2) Haken - Affinity
3) Gojira - Magma
4) Animals as Leaders - The Madness of Many
5) Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
6) The Dear Hunter - Act V
7) Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
8) Evergrey - The Storm Within
9) Dream Theater - The Astonishing
10) Opeth - Sorceress