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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: twosuitsluke on March 29, 2023, 12:14:06 PM
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You all know the drill. We're a quarter of the way through the year now. What's everyone's lists looking like?
I've put Top 10 in the title but I'll just be ranking everything worth ranking. My list is currently at 23 albums, but there were plenty more that nearly made the cut...
1. In Flames - Foregone
2. Enslaved - Heimdal
3. Haken - Fauna
4. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
5. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
6. Entheos - Time Will Take Us All
7. Galneryus - Between Dread and Valor
8. The Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
9. Codefendants - This is Crime Wave
10. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
11. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
12. Carnosus - Visions of Infinihility
13. Anti-Flag - Lies They Tell Our Children
14. The World is Quiet Here - Zon
15. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
16. Pressure Points - The Island
17. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
18. Celestial Wizard - Winds of the Cosmos
19. Riverside - I.D.Entity
20. Hypno5e - Sheol
21. Insomnium - Anno 1696
22. Obituary - Dying of Everything
23. Kamelot - The Awakening
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I’ve only heard 3 new releases so far in 2023:
1. The Winery Dogs - III
2. David Brewis - The Soft Struggles
3. Kite Parade - Retro
All solid releases but none just blew me away. Still time to warm up to them a bit.
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So far this year has been fairly underwhelming to me. Got a few albums that are sort of weak 8/10 and those are the best ones, other than that it's 7/10, 6/10 or below.
Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
Riverside - Id.Entity
Paramore - This is Why
Periphery - V: Djent is Not a Genre
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Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Deathcrash - Less
M83 - Fantasy
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Xiu Xiu - Ignore Grief
Enslaved - Heimdal
The Necks - Travel
Hiromi - Blue Giant (OST)
Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
Parannoul - After the Magic
BrokenTeeth - How to Sink Slowly
Haken - Fauna
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Kimbra - A Reckoning
Hammock - Love in the Void
Big Brave - Nature Morte
Hypno5e - Sheol
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Future is Your Past
John Cale - Mercy
Panda Rosa - Burned Car Highway Light Volcanic
Cicada - Seeking the Sources of Streams
Uriah Heep - Chaos & Colour
Invent Animate - Heavener
In Flames - Foregone
Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Lil Yachty - Let's Start Here
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Gorillaz - Cracker Island
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Definitely a slow start to this year for a bunch of reasons, but here are some tentative favorites so far.
Angerot - The Profound Recreant
Bastard Grave - Vortex of Disgust
*Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Conspiracy of Zero - Ahthos arouris
Dark Princess - Phoenix
Delain - Dark Waters
Depeche Mode - Memento mori
Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead
FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent
Hanging Garden - The Garden
In Flames - Foregone
*Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Nickel Creek - Celebrants
Ocean of Grief - Pale Existence
Thayer Sarrano - Ancient Future
*The Jordan - Nowhere Near the Sky
*Top 3 so far
There are a number more I like a few songs from that I sampled, but haven't gotten to the full-lengths yet, so they probably won't be there until a bit later in the year.
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Hmmmmm... This is everything I've listened to. I'd say either Periphery, Haken, or Babymetal are leading the pack at the moment... Babymetal- Monochrome is definitely the frontrunner for SOTY, what an amazing track.
Asterism- Aside/Beaide
Babymetal - The Other One
Floor Jansen - Paragon
Gacharic Spin- W
Haken - Fauna
Hanabie- Reborn Superstar!
Kamelot - The Awakening
Katatonia- Sky Void of Stars
Little Lilith - Strike
Lovebites- Judgement Day
OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
Ov Sulfer - The Burden Ov Faith
Periphery - D'jent is Not a Genre
Riverside - ID Identity
Saiseiga - Nostalgia
Voice of Baceprot- Retas
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So far for me, my favorites have been:
1 Riverside “ID.Entity”
2 Redemption “I Am the Storm”
3 Haken “Fauna”
4 Winery Dogs “III”
5 Godsmack “Lighting Up the Sky”
6 Kamelot “The Awakening”
7 We Came From Space “Overlords”
8 Avatar "Dance Devil Dance"
9 Black Star Riders “Wrong Side Of Paradise”
10 The Answer “Sundowners”
11 Uriah Heep “Chaos & Color”
12 Neverland Express “Bat Out of Hell...re-imagined”
Also loving the live album from TA “The Final Flight: Live at L'Olympia”
&
Elton John' “Honky Chateau” (reissue)
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I haven't heard much this year but here is how it shakes out so far:
1. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5, a stellar, atmospheric ambient EP
2. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4/5 - Great album, not as strong as his previous release though
3. Skrillex - Quest for Fire - 3/5 - The highs are really high, but the lows are pretty low
4. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5 - What I said about Quest for Fire applies here
5. Haken - Fauna - 2/5 - Ross took this album from a 4/5 to 2/5
6. The Winery Dogs - III - 2/5 - It's aight
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2. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4/5 - Great album, not as strong as his previous release though
I've been meaning to check this guy out. I've added this to my list :tup
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I haven't heard many new albums so far this year, but I'm pretty bad at listening to new album releases overall. I'm still discovering stuff from way back :lol
But these three has caught my attention so far.
Riverside - ID.Entity
Haken - Fauna
Depeche Mode - Memento Mori
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1. Haken - Fauna
2. Depeche Mode - Memento Mori
3. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
4. Kamelot - The Awakening
5. Redemption - I Am the Storm
6. slowthai - UGLY
7. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
8. Rebecca Black - Let Her Burn
9. Gorillaz - Cracker Island
10. Steel Panther - On the Prowl
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Only three albums so far:
1. Fauna - Haken
2. ID.Entity - Riverside
3. Making Shore - Damanek
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2022 was great, but so far in 2023 my only go-to album is Katatonia's Sky Void of Stars.
Riverside's new album isn't bad either.
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
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1. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
2. Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, the Water, the Sky
3. Kimbra - A Reckoning
4. Themes for Great Cities - Themes for Great Cities: Tallinn
5. Telefone - Telefone
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- Periphery V
- uh.....
It's still early in the year. My favorites of 2022 didn't start coming out until like May.
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- Periphery V
- uh.....
It's still early in the year. My favorites of 2022 didn't start coming out until like May.
Yeah, that why I was worried for quite awhile about TAC's semi-final round, and fortunately found something. Quite often the first few months of the year are a dead zone for my tastes. I do like all the albums on my list, but they're all iffy in terms of whether they'll have top 10 potential, other than Katatonia.
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- Periphery V
- uh.....
It's still early in the year. My favorites of 2022 didn't start coming out until like May.
I've only listened to the new Riverside and Redemption this year. :lol
I have the new Katatonia sitting on my shelf, I should spin that one and then get to the new Haken.
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1. Haken - Fauna
2. Redemption - I Am the Storm
Others album I like but only got 1 or 2 spins so far:
Periphery - V: Djent is Not a Genre
Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
Marianas Rest - Auer
Downfall of Gaia - Silhouettes of Disgust
Hypno5e - Sheol
Ikarie - Arde
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Ok, let's do this...
1. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
This is for sure my favorite in 2023 so far. Then in alphabetical order:
Bizarrekult - Den tapte krigen
Carnosus - Visions of Infinihility
The Enigma Division - The Enigma Division
Gorod - The Orb
Hanging Garden - The Garden
Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
Insomnium - Anno 1696
Haken - Fauna
Host - IX
Isole - Anesidora
Night Demon - Outsider
Paramore - This Is Why
Pristine - The Lines We Cross
Riverside - ID. Entity
Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
Silver Bullet - Shadowfall
Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall
I'm pretty sure Enslaved will show up, but I haven't spent much time with it yet.
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*Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
I need to listen to this one - I've seen it mentioned a few times here and I caught her performance on Jimmy Fallon (I believe) via YT...quite impressive...
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
In fact, the more I listen to this, all of you guys that only listen to prog/metal/various associated genres are really doing yourselves a disservice by avoiding this one.
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
In fact, the more I listen to this, all of you guys that only listen to prog/metal/various associated genres are really doing yourselves a disservice by avoiding this one.
Loved the early Nickel Creek albums. How does this one compare?
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
In fact, the more I listen to this, all of you guys that only listen to prog/metal/various associated genres are really doing yourselves a disservice by avoiding this one.
I’m going to the music store today, if they have it on CD I’ll pick it up.
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"Music store"? What a wild concept :lol
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
In fact, the more I listen to this, all of you guys that only listen to prog/metal/various associated genres are really doing yourselves a disservice by avoiding this one.
Loved the early Nickel Creek albums. How does this one compare?
More complex and "progressive" for sure. Innovative and virtuoso playing, gorgeous vocal harmonies, interesting arrangements, but also great melodies. Lots of variation, with stuff to make your jaw drop, and more simple structures that are just haunting and gorgeous. I just love it.
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
In fact, the more I listen to this, all of you guys that only listen to prog/metal/various associated genres are really doing yourselves a disservice by avoiding this one.
Loved the early Nickel Creek albums. How does this one compare?
More complex and "progressive" for sure. Innovative and virtuoso playing, gorgeous vocal harmonies, interesting arrangements, but also great melodies. Lots of variation, with stuff to make your jaw drop, and more simple structures that are just haunting and gorgeous. I just love it.
I'll have to check it out. I never got around to hearing their last album.
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Seems rather early for this, but if you insist. I'm sure everyone will be shocked by my number 1.
I feel like this is more metal dominated than usual for some reason. I've listened to some non-metal albums this year but not that many, and only a handful have quite done it for me.
1. Haken - Fauna
2. Insomnium - Anno 1696
3. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
4. Marianas Rest - Auer
5. Hypno5e - Sheol
6. Manchester Orchestra - The Valley of Vision (EP)
7. Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
8. Floor Jansen - Paragon
9. In Flames - Foregone
10. Hundred Reasons - Glorious Sunset
Honourable mentions:
Beyond the Black - Beyond the Black
Enslaved - Heimdal
Kamelot - The Awakening
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Lovebites - Judgement Day
The Ongoing Concept - Again
Suotana - Ounas I
The World Is Quiet Here - Zon
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I'll post the albums that are released so far that I'm sure will make my top 12 of 2023:
Haken - Fauna
Redemption - I Am the Storm
Riverside - ID.Entity
Waiting for the next releases...
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*Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
I need to listen to this one - I've seen it mentioned a few times here and I caught her performance on Jimmy Fallon (I believe) via YT...quite impressive...
I'm quoting myself instead of editing...
Well, I'm liking this a lot. I'm feeling Speak for Yourself-era Imogen Heap vibes, but perhaps even more eclectic. It's hitting all the right notes - great vocals, catchy and full of interesting ideas, sophisticated but not pretentious (I'm hearing some 90s/early 2000s pop influences too, especially in some sound/production choices)
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M83 - Fantasy
Nice to see someone else checking out this band and album. It's one of three this year I listened to. I've only listened to it once but I like it.
Haken and Riverside being the other two albums I've heard this year.
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Well, I'm liking this a lot. I'm feeling Speak for Yourself-era Imogen Heap vibes, but perhaps even more eclectic. It's hitting all the right notes - great vocals, catchy and full of interesting ideas, sophisticated but not pretentious (I'm hearing some 90s/early 2000s pop influences too, especially in some sound/production choices)
Speak For Yourself is a super high bar to clear for me, but there's definitely something unique about it. Any particular standout tracks for you?
Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
In fact, the more I listen to this, all of you guys that only listen to prog/metal/various associated genres are really doing yourselves a disservice by avoiding this one.
Well, it doesn't work on everyone. I sent a track from their previous one in TAC's last roulette and he thought it was pleasant enough, but would probably never listen to them again. :lol
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Well, I'm liking this a lot. I'm feeling Speak for Yourself-era Imogen Heap vibes, but perhaps even more eclectic. It's hitting all the right notes - great vocals, catchy and full of interesting ideas, sophisticated but not pretentious (I'm hearing some 90s/early 2000s pop influences too, especially in some sound/production choices)
Speak For Yourself is a super high bar to clear for me, but there's definitely something unique about it. Any particular standout tracks for you?
Agreed on Speak for Yourself, that's a fantastic album and I listened to it a ton when it came out. As for the Caroline Polachek's record - based on first impressions, I especially liked the opener (hard to get it out of your head), Fly to You (probably my favorite for now) and Blood and Butter (bag pipe solo! :biggrin:)
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echoed on Speak For Yourself. An all-time favorite of mine.
I actuall Wishlisted that album from Caroline Polachek back in February, but I don't recall if I ever got around to it. Will try to soon.
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Well, I'm liking this a lot. I'm feeling Speak for Yourself-era Imogen Heap vibes, but perhaps even more eclectic. It's hitting all the right notes - great vocals, catchy and full of interesting ideas, sophisticated but not pretentious (I'm hearing some 90s/early 2000s pop influences too, especially in some sound/production choices)
Speak For Yourself is a super high bar to clear for me, but there's definitely something unique about it. Any particular standout tracks for you?
Agreed on Speak for Yourself, that's a fantastic album and I listened to it a ton when it came out. As for the Caroline Polachek's record - based on first impressions, I especially liked the opener (hard to get it out of your head), Fly to You (probably my favorite for now) and Blood and Butter (bag pipe solo! :biggrin: )
"Fly To You" is ridiculously catchy, and also by far my favorite. RYM thinks it's the 3rd worst on the album, I lose faith in their rankings more and more each year. "Smoke" is the other one that popped out to me so far.
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echoed on Speak For Yourself. An all-time favorite of mine.
I actuall Wishlisted that album from Caroline Polachek back in February, but I don't recall if I ever got around to it. Will try to soon.
browser history is my friend.
A friend of mine on YouTube Matt O'Leary Music did a review of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A40v-vZlX-g
I hear the SFY and just Imogen Heap in general influence. The use of auto-tune I don't love, but it's not so excessive to the point it bugs me.
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"Fly To You" is ridiculously catchy, and also by far my favorite. RYM thinks it's the 3rd worst on the album, I lose faith in their rankings more and more each year. "Smoke" is the other one that popped out to me so far.
Smoke is excellent too, yes. I could see fans of Taylor Swift's 1989 liking that one.
I hear the SFY and just Imogen Heap in general influence. The use of auto-tune I don't love, but it's not so excessive to the point it bugs me.
Agreed - I feel like autotune is used more as a "creative" device, and in relative moderation...
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Well, it doesn't work on everyone. I sent a track from their previous one in TAC's last roulette and he thought it was pleasant enough, but would probably never listen to them again. :lol
lol
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
Finally found it and bought it! Which song(s) should I listen to first? I like to sample a couple of songs from an album before listening to it in full, it gets me hyped (if the songs are good obviously).
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
Finally found it and bought it! Which song(s) should I listen to first? I like to sample a couple of songs from an album before listening to it in full, it gets me hyped (if the songs are good obviously).
My favorites consistently are
Celebrants
Where The Long Line Leads
To The Airport
Holding Pattern
Goddamned Saint
Hollywood Ending
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Not sure how well I can rank them at this point, but my favorites are the new Riverside, Katatonia, Insomnium, Ellereve, and Caroline Polachek.
The Kamelot, Ne Obliviscaris, Delain, and Haken are all okay too, but I need to listen more if I'm ever going to love them, and I doubt that'll happen with Haken at this point.
Biggest disappointment—and this is probably just a consequence of unreasonable expectations—is Enslaved's Heimdal. Not sure why, it just hasn't clicked with me yet.
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
Finally found it and bought it! Which song(s) should I listen to first? I like to sample a couple of songs from an album before listening to it in full, it gets me hyped (if the songs are good obviously).
My favorites consistently are
Celebrants
Where The Long Line Leads
To The Airport
Holding Pattern
Goddamned Saint
Hollywood Ending
Listened to these 2. Really good stuff!
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I am adding Fearless by Crown Lands to my Top 10.
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Nickel Creek - Celebrants
I don't know about compiling a list, but this is definitely my favorite album so far this year.
Finally found it and bought it! Which song(s) should I listen to first? I like to sample a couple of songs from an album before listening to it in full, it gets me hyped (if the songs are good obviously).
My favorites consistently are
Celebrants
Where The Long Line Leads
To The Airport
Holding Pattern
Goddamned Saint
Hollywood Ending
Listened to these 2. Really good stuff!
:tup
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Decided to try to keep this to a solid top 30. Few movers in here since my last post.
1. In Flames - Foregone
2. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
3. Enslaved - Heimdal
4. Haken - Fauna
5. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
6. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
7. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
8. Entheos - Time Will Take Us All
9. Galneryus - Between Dread and Valor
10. The Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
11. Messa - Live at Roadburn
12. Codefendants - This is Crime Wave
13. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
14. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
15. Poh Hock - Gallimaufry
16. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
17. Carnosus - Visions of Infinihility
18. Anti-Flag - Lies They Tell Our Children
19. City and Colour - The Love Still Held Me Near
20. The World is Quiet Here - Zon
21. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
22. The Ongoing Concept - Again
23. Abel Sequera - Soundscapes
24. Pressure Points - The Island
25. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
26. Isole - Anesidora
27. Stormhaven - Blindsight
28. Ice Age - Waves of Loss and Power
29. Celestial Wizard - Winds of the Cosmos
30. Riverside - I.D.Entity
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Im just trying to add everything I've listened to here, then I'll sort it out at the end of the year.
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luke you should check out witch ripper you'd like them
f*cked up also put out a really good post-hardcore/punk album this year
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luke you should check out witch ripper you'd like them
f*cked up also put out a really good post-hardcore/punk album this year
I have given one listen to Witch Ripper already. It's currently sat at #32 after one listen, but I'll give it another spin soon. Not heard Fucked Up's latest, but it's added to the playlist to check out. Cheers dude
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My second listen to the Witch Ripper was much better than my first. I'm not sure what I was thinking, honestly. :lol
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Witch Ripper is indeed very good!
Tim - I wouldn't have predicted you enjoying it, tbh...there's more than a fair bit of Mastodon influence there. Surely mixed up with lots of other stuff, but still...
Not that it matters, of course :) A good album is a good album!
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I enjoyed my listen today very much. I hit it right after my roulette, and it kind of went over my head. I can see what you mean about the Mastodon thing, but I didn't really get that feel from it.
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Here's an update to my top 30. I'm loving the new Ghost EP, as well as the new Cattle Decapitation.
1. In Flames - Foregone
2. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
3. Ghost - Phantomime
4. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
5. Enslaved - Heimdal
6. Haken - Fauna
7. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
8. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
9. Neolia - Neolia
10. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
11. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
12. Messa - Live at Roadburn
13. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
14. Entheos - Time Will Take Us All
15. Galneryus - Between Dread and Valor
16. Anti-Flag - Lies They Tell Our Children
17. The Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
18. Codefendants - This is Crime Wave
19. Poh Hock - Gallimaufry
20. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
21. The Ocean - Holocene
22. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
23. Metallica - 72 Seasons
24. Herod - Iconoclast
25. City and Colour - The Love Still Held Me Near
26. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
27. Drain - Living Proof
28. The World is Quiet Here - Zon
29. Abel Sequera - Soundscapes
30. Pressure Points - The Island
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I'm gonna have to work on mine more once my roulette is over, there are so many releases that I'm behind on or have given cursory listens, but seemed underwhelming. Phantom Elite, Ad Infinitum, Haken, Teramaze, Daughter, are some in that category since my last post.
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This thread is a good reminder of the fact that I have not yet listened to a single 2023 release.
Should, uh, probably get around to that at some point. :lol
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I would make an update, but midseason isn't all that far away, and there's also a few big titles coming for me.
Also June 9th is a massive day for new releases, it feels premature to make a list before then.
Ray Alder - II
Cynic -ReFocus
East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
Extreme - Rise
Janelle Monae - The Age of Pleasure
Squid - O Monolith
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Nothing I've heard this year feels like AOTY material yet, but the new Periphery and The Ocean albums are both very good.
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Nothing I've heard this year feels like AOTY material yet
This
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I would be surprised if anything pushes Katatonia out.
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Nothing I've heard this year feels like AOTY material yet, but the new Periphery and The Ocean albums are both very good.
Nothing I've heard this year feels like AOTY material yet
This
I would be surprised if anything pushes Katatonia out.
Relax guys King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard release PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of the Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation on June 16th.
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Looking forward to June 2 when both Noel Gallagher and Foo Fighters are releasing their respective albums. Both should be AOTY contenders for me.
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Relax guys King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard release PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of the Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation on June 16th.
WTF? How many albums is this? :lol
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King Gizzard presumably have like 7 more albums to come out this year.
EDIT: Also, I did my last list at the end of March, so quarterly updates feels about right. I'll try and remember to do another one end of June.
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Relax guys King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard release PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of the Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation on June 16th.
WTF? How many albums is this? :lol
Just the one. Are you really surprised? :lol
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Hmm, no mention of Dødheimsgard's Black Medium Current...until now! If you like your metal weird, emotive, challenging and a bit black, don't sleep on this one. I thought their previous album A Umbra Omega was awesome, but as it turns out, that only hinted at the greatness to come. This is to me not only AOTY, but album of the decade so far.
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I would be surprised if anything pushes Katatonia out.
Same here, at least from what I've heard so far this year. I might like this even more than City Burials (and I like that one a ton)
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I definitely like it more than CB, though CB has two stronger songs ("Heart Set To Divide", "Untrodden") than anything on SVoS, so far anyway.
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Not as strong of a year as 2022 so far, but it's still early and that'll be a tough year to surpass honestly. Here's my top three currently:
1: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
2: The Ocean - Holocene
3: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre
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Top 11 so far:
Anubis Gate - Interference
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Delain - Dark Waters
Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead
FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent
Hanging Garden - The Garden
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Rise To Fall - The Fifth Dimension
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
The Jordan - Nowhere Near the Sky
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
Lots more that could join them with another listen or two.
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Hanging Garden - The Garden
I guess I can cross them off my list for your last Open Round. Even made the Spotify playlist with a number of tracks to start cutting it down to 3.
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Always a good idea to check my ban list and RYM ratings first. :P
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Always a good idea to check my ban list and RYM ratings first. :P
I just did it the other night. I wasn't committed to it by any stretch. But it's an interesting album. Honestly, I was concerned the female vocals may not have been strong enough, actually.
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Nothing is set in stone quite yet, but if I had to make a Top 10 so far, it might look like this..
Suotana-Ounas I
Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
Lovebites-Judgement Day
Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
Hwaino-Ashes Of The World Tree
Project Roenwolfe-s/t
Stormhaven-Blindsight
Kalmah-s/t
OK Goodnight-The Fox And The Bird
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Always a good idea to check my ban list and RYM ratings first. :P
I just did it the other night. I wasn't committed to it by any stretch. But it's an interesting album. Honestly, I was concerned the female vocals may not have been strong enough, actually.
It's a good album, and it may grow on me more, but at the moment it's not nearly as good as Skeleton Lake in '21.
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I just checked them out for the first time the other day, so I'm not familiar with their other stuff.
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My currents rankings of the 11 albums I've listened to this year. Definitely open for shuffling
Delain - Dark Waters
Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A dream
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
Kamelot - The Awakening
Haken - Fauna
Avatar - Dance Devil Dance
The Winery Dogs - III
VV - Neon Noir
In Flames - Forgone
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Steel Panther - On The Prowl
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1: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
I’ll bite and give this a go. I’ve seen you mention it a few times :corn
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1 Riverside “ID.Entity”
2 Redemption “I Am the Storm”
3 Haken “Fauna”
4 Metallica “72 Seasons”
5 Winery Dogs “III”
6 Godsmack “Lighting Up the Sky”
7 Buckcherry “Vol. 10”
8 Extreme “SIX”
9 Kamelot “The Awakening”
10 Angel “Once Upon a Time”
HM:
11 Jethro Tull “RokFlote”
12 Avatar - "Dance Devil Dance"
13 Black Star Riders “Wrong Side Of Paradise”
14 Uriah Heep “Chaos & Color”
15 The Answer “Sundowners”
TERRIBLE:
Yes “Mirror to The Sky” :tdwn
Avenged Sevenfold "Life is But a Dream" :tdwn :tdwn
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I'd say Haken or Periphery are still leading the pack, but after hearing the first two singles of Gacharic Spin's upcoming release, that lead is pretty tenuous.
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1: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
I’ll bite and give this a go. I’ve seen you mention it a few times :corn
Do it :corn
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Pizza Death- Reign Of The Anticrust.
(its not even out yet, I haven't heard it but it fills all 10 spots).
Number 11 would be Cattle Decapitation, Terrasite.
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Really light year for me half way through. All I've heard/gotten, and I guess I'd rank them thusly:
1. Kite Parade - Retro
2. The Winery Dogs - III
3. David Brewis - The Soft Struggles
4. Amplifier - Hologram
Also have the Marillion - Seasons End remix/reissue. Waiting for BBT's Ingenious Devices at the end of this month, new album from The Clientele next month, Peter Gabriel whenever we run out of full moons or he runs out of new tracks to drip feed us, whichever happens first.
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Some highlights of this year so far:
Haken - Fauna
The Ocean - Holocene
Paramore - This is Why
Avenged Sevenfold - Life is but a dream
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Periphery - Periphery V
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Others I enjoyed but didn't really go back to:
Sparks - The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte
Depeche Mode - Memento Mori
Caroline Polacheck - Desire I Want to Turn Into You
Immensly looking forward to Voyager's "Fearless in Love", which has four incredible singles out (including their Eurovision entry).
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Pizza Death- Reign Of The Anticrust.
(its not even out yet, I haven't heard it but it fills all 10 spots).
Number 11 would be Cattle Decapitation, Terrasite.
This is a list I can get behind. Definitely unorthodox to slice pizza 10 ways, but I see where you are coming from.
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Pizza Death- Reign Of The Anticrust.
(its not even out yet, I haven't heard it but it fills all 10 spots).
Number 11 would be Cattle Decapitation, Terrasite.
This is a list I can get behind. Definitely unorthodox to slice pizza 10 ways, but I see where you are coming from.
I heard 2 new songs, Frankenslice and Pasta Of Muppets. Absolutely incredible!
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Slight update since my last post… (this is 100% gonna change as new King Gizzy tomorrow)
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. In Flames - Foregone
3. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
4. Ghost - Phantomime
5. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
6. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
7. Enslaved - Heimdal
8. Haken - Fauna
9. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
10. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
11. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
12. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
13. Messa - Live at Roadburn
14. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
15. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
16. Anti-Flag - Lies They Tell Our Children
17. The Ocean - Holocene
18. Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
19. Entheos - Time Will Take Us All
20. Galneryus - Between Dread and Valor
21. The Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
22. Neolia - Neolia
23. Codefendants - This is Crime Wave
24. Poh Hock - Gallimaufry
25. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
26. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
27. Metallica - 72 Seasons
28. Herod - Iconoclast
29. City and Colour - The Love Still Held Me Near
30. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
Pizza Death- Reign Of The Anticrust.
(its not even out yet, I haven't heard it but it fills all 10 spots).
Number 11 would be Cattle Decapitation, Terrasite.
This is a list I can get behind. Definitely unorthodox to slice pizza 10 ways, but I see where you are coming from.
I heard 2 new songs, Frankenslice and Pasta Of Muppets. Absolutely incredible!
Wait what? Be right back…
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I have to say, if folks like Metal Church, their new one, Congregation of Annihilation, is really, really good. I'm a casual MC fan, and I find myself keep wanting to put the record on. Just excellent top-to-bottom.
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Top 11 so far:
Anubis Gate - Interference
Haven't checked it out yet, need to remedy that...
Project Roenwolfe-s/t
Kalmah-s/t
I had enjoyed Project Roenwolfe's previous record, Edge of Saturn...haven't listened to this one yet. Kalmah have been around forever, and for some reason I haven't gotten around to hearing a single note from them. Maybe I should start with this...
I'll post an updated list once we are past the mid-year mark (where did half of 2023 go, by the way??)
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I had never heard of Project Roenwolfe before. Spotify played them randomly after whatever I was listening to finished. I thought it was pretty damn good. Has the drummer from Theocracy on it.
I'm not totally up on previous Kalmah, but this album is amazing.
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Just gave the new Scar Symmetry a spin after seeing Allegaeon's Greg Burgess post that the solo work on it made him want to quit guitar... Very impressive album. Per just rips it up.
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Just gave the new Scar Symmetry a spin after seeing Allegaeon's Greg Burgess post that the solo work on it made him want to quit guitar... Very impressive album. Per just rips it up.
I'm kind of digging it, especially guitar-wise, but I really don't care for the harsh vocals on it.
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Just gave the new Scar Symmetry a spin after seeing Allegaeon's Greg Burgess post that the solo work on it made him want to quit guitar... Very impressive album. Per just rips it up.
I'm kind of digging it, especially guitar-wise, but I really don't care for the harsh vocals on it.
Damn, those are the best vocals on it.
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Thanks to dad's gushing, I am a few songs into Celebrants and it is certainly different, and I think I am liking it. I need to peruse these lists and get a list going in the next few months. Avenged Sevenfold will likely be in the top 3 or 5.
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Top 11 so far:
Anubis Gate - Interference
Haven't checked it out yet, need to remedy that...
Yep, I liked it a lot on first listen. Agreed that it's more or less what you'd expect from the band, but there's always a little something that separates them...oh, and The Phoenix is such a great, melodic song.
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https://rateyourmusic.com/list/SoundscapeMN/2023-midseason-aoty/
1. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
2. Squid - O Monolith
3. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
4. Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, the Water, the Sky
5. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
6. Sigur Ros - ÁTTA
7. Kimbra - A Reckoning
8. LA Priest - Fase Luna
9. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
10. Themes for Great Cities - Themes for Great Cities: Tallinn
11. Telefone - Telefone
EPs
1. Dirt Poor Robins - Prelude to Firebird
2. Shell Pink - The Warmth of the Sun
3. Adjy - June Songs Vol.1
Singles
Childish Japes - Crossbreeze, Another Dose, Future Tense, Not Made for Thus
Team Me - The Apple of My Eye, Return to the Riverside
Peter Gabriel - Panoticon, The Court, Playing for Time, i/o, Four Kinds of Horses, Road to Joy
Dream the Electric Sleep - Beyond Repair, After the Fall Out, Forged in the Furnace
East of the Wall - Detonator Gauntlet, Unfamiliar Glass Ceiling, Hegemony's Dilemma
Naiekhu - Sad State, Best Friend
The Guess Who - The King, Plein D'Amour, Headline
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Ok, so we are basically at the year's midpoint, so I'm attempting a year-to-date top 10 and honorable mentions:
Top 10 (vaguely in order):
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Tanith - Voyage
Pristine - The Lines We Cross
Haken - Fauna
Insomnium - Anno 1696
Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold
Night Demon - Outsider
Sermon - Of Golden Verse
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
Paramore - This Is Why
Honorable Mentions:
Altari - Krofueldar
The Anchoret - It All Began With Loneliness
AVKRVST - The Approbation
Bizarrekult - Den Tapte Krigen
Carnosus - Visions of Infinihility
Crom - The Era of Darkness
Crown Lands - Fearless
Death of Giants - Ventesorg
The Enigma Division - The Enigma Division
Gorod - The Orb
Hanging Garden - The Garden
Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
Host - IX
Inherus - Beholden
Isole - Anesidora
Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed
Nospun - Opus
Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn into You
Pressure Points - The Island
Ring of Gyges - Metamorphosis
Riverside - ID.Entity
Saturnus - The Storm Within
Silver Bullet - Shadowfall
Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
Wings of Steel - Gates of Twilight
Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall
Some HMs I discovered very recently so I need to spend more time with them, but I already like them plenty (e.g. OK Goodnight, AVKRVST, The Anchoret, Saturnus). Tribunal, Majesties, Silver Bullet, Witch Ripper, Isole are very much pushing to be "listers".
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Alright, we're halfway through the year now and I don't have any new albums to check out today, so it's a good time for an updated list! I'll go with a top 15 for now and then try and do a top 30 at the end of the year!
Definitely a strong year for various metal genres but other genres getting more of a look in the past few months.
1. Haken - Fauna
2. Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden
3. Insomnium - Anno 1696
4. Marianas Rest - Auer
5. Arkona - Kob'
6. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
7. Keep of Kalessin - Katharsis
8. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes
9. Hypno5e - Sheol
10. Susanne Sundfør - Blómi
11. GoGo Penguin - Everything Is Going to Be OK
12. Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
13. Manchester Orchestra - The Valley of Vision EP
14. Einar Solberg - 16
15. Floor Jansen - Paragon
Honourable mentions:
Beyond the Black - Beyond the Black
The Dark Side of the Moon - Metamorphosis
Enslaved - Heimdal
Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant for Us
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Hundred Reasons - Glorious Sunset
In Flames - Foregone
The Intersphere - Wanderer
Kamelot - The Awakening
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Lovebites - Judgement Day
Mystery - Redemption
The Ocean - Holocene
The Ongoing Concept - Again
Pyramaze - Bloodlines
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
Suotana - Ounas I
Teramaze - Dalla Volta
VNV Nation - Electric Sun
The World Is Quiet Here - Zon
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Better clear some room at the top of that list for next Friday's big release
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:lol Maybe. Quite likely it'll end up in my top 30 but no idea how high. First single was fantastic, second was good but didn't blow me away (similar issues to last couple of albums, partly the mixing I think - guitars really low, kind of weird that, since Hana has moved to guitar so there are two of them, the guitars are often almost inaudible).
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Rich, I definitely prefer you honourable mentions over your top 15. I can’t remember, did you check out the new Avenged Sevenfold?
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Rich, I definitely prefer you honourable mentions over your top 15. I can’t remember, did you check out the new Avenged Sevenfold?
Yeah, it didn't make the list. :lol
EDIT: Here was where I ended up (I also posted more about it, including the mix, earlier in the thread):
Cosmic is indeed a great song.
After a good few listens of the album, I've come around to liking it but not loving it. I like that they experimented, and in a way it's maybe a feature of being used to varied music that I don't even think the experimentation is particularly wacky or out there, although I accept it's much more so than their past work. I think there are four really strong songs on here (Nobody, Cosmic, Easier and (O)rdinary). The rest is mostly fine and there are some cool ideas here and there, but most of it I just don't think is executed well enough and I'm definitely not a fan of the mix which feels week and contributes to the album sounding messy.
If this is a new direction for the band then that's exciting, I just hope they do a more accomplished job of it next time. :P
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Yea, that’s fair. I’m surprised as anyone to find this sat as my album of the year at the moment. I really just want to keep returning to it, more than any other release this year.
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4. Marianas Rest - Auer
Honourable mentions:
Hundred Reasons - Glorious Sunset
VNV Nation - Electric Sun
I had really enjoyed Marianas Rest's previous record, Fata Morgana, but only listened to the new one once...not much of it stuck with me at first, I'll have to revisit.
Hundred Reasons...I bought their debut back in the day...didn't realize they were still around. Was this a comeback of sorts?
VNV Nation - haven't checked it out yet...I liked some of their old stuff, then I kinda lost track of them
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:lol Maybe. Quite likely it'll end up in my top 30 but no idea how high. First single was fantastic, second was good but didn't blow me away (similar issues to last couple of albums, partly the mixing I think - guitars really low, kind of weird that, since Hana has moved to guitar so there are two of them, the guitars are often almost inaudible).
Funny, I'm quite the opposite... First single was fun, but Replica might end up being my favorite track of theirs.
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I had really enjoyed Marianas Rest's previous record, Fata Morgana, but only listened to the new one once...not much of it stuck with me at first, I'll have to revisit.
Yeah I found it a definite grower. The last one was even better but this new one is great too.
Hundred Reasons...I bought their debut back in the day...didn't realize they were still around. Was this a comeback of sorts?
It was indeed. It's really nice, slightly mellower in tone but still very much sounds like them.
VNV Nation - haven't checked it out yet...I liked some of their old stuff, then I kinda lost track of them
I've only heard a couple of their older albums (well, depends what you mean by older) but it's the more recent stuff I've been more into.
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:lol Maybe. Quite likely it'll end up in my top 30 but no idea how high. First single was fantastic, second was good but didn't blow me away (similar issues to last couple of albums, partly the mixing I think - guitars really low, kind of weird that, since Hana has moved to guitar so there are two of them, the guitars are often almost inaudible).
Funny, I'm quite the opposite... First single was fun, but Replica might end up being my favorite track of theirs.
Yeah we both love the band but seem to be very different in which things we like and which we love. :lol
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:lol Maybe. Quite likely it'll end up in my top 30 but no idea how high. First single was fantastic, second was good but didn't blow me away (similar issues to last couple of albums, partly the mixing I think - guitars really low, kind of weird that, since Hana has moved to guitar so there are two of them, the guitars are often almost inaudible).
Funny, I'm quite the opposite... First single was fun, but Replica might end up being my favorite track of theirs.
Yeah we both love the band but seem to be very different in which things we like and which we love. :lol
Not surprising considering how diverse their sound can be from track to track.
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Very true and indeed that diversity is part of why I love them so much.
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Very true and indeed that diversity is part of why I love them so much.
Q- What genre is Gacharic Spin?
A- Yes
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:lol
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Mine for now:
1. Insomnium- Anno 1696
2. Saturnus- The Storm Within
3. Sleep Token- Take me Back to Eden (I was annoyed at first with the R&B sections, but really, this is probably the album I listened to the most in 2023. The variety makes it very enjoyable)
4. Marianas Rest- Auer
5. Fires in the distance- Air Not Meant for us
6. Death of Giants- Ventesorg
7. Lissom, Julien Marchal, Lowswimmer- Eclipses
8. In Flames- Foregone
9. Rise to the Sky- Two Years of Grief
10. Katatonia- Sky Void of Stars
11. Hypno5e- Sheol
12. Mystery- Redemption
13. Milanku- À l'aube
14. Riverside- ID.Entity
15. The Anchoret- It All Began with Loneliness (only 2 spins yet, but really good first impression)
16. Ok Goodnight- The Fox and the Bird
17. Sigur Ros- ATTA
18. Acres- Burning Throne
19. ISON- Stars & Embers
20. Hammock- Love in the Void
My top 5 (and possibly the 6th as well) is a really strong one for me. So far, this year made amazing music.
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I don't typically stack-rank until the end of the year, but here's what I've purchased, saved on Spotify (which means either their just ok, or too short and I'm not dropping $11 for a 40 minute album), and still TBD.
Purchased:
Xandria / The Wonders Still Waiting - this is what Nightwish should sound like.
Kamelot / The Awakening - as good as Silverthorn... certainly better than their last two efforts.
Redemption / I Am the Storm - despite having 2 covers, this smokes
Crown Lands / Fearless - if you need a Rush fix, load this up
FreeFall / Hunt the Flame - more memorable than the last release
Mystery / Redemption - they are always an instant purchase for me
Ray Alder / II - Ray sounds incredible
Fifth Angel / When Angels Kill - an unexpectedly excellent concept album
Sacred Outcry / Towers of Gold - glorious prog/power
Lovebites / Judgment Day - RJ cracked me with these girls
Saved: (most are excellent, but too short).
Rexoria / Imperial Dawn
Infinite & Divine / Ascendancy
Stargazer / Life Will Never Be The Same
Demons Down / I Stand
Air Raid / Fatal Encounter
Galneryus / Between Dread and Valor
Ad Infinitum / Chapter III - Downfall
Floor Jansen / Paragon
Creye / III: Weightless
All of My Shadows / Eerie Monsters
Revolution Saints / Eagle Flight
Evermore / In Memoriam
One Desire / Live with the Shadow Orchestra
Teramaze / Dalla Volta - disappointed this was only 1/2 new material :sad:
Winger / Seven
Tygers of Pan Tang / Bloodlines
Silver Bullet / Shadowfall
Andy James / Fury From Above
Mystic Prophecy / Hellriot
Tulip / The Perpetual Dream
Pyramaze / Bloodlines
Stray Gods / Olympus
TBD
Ice Age / Waves of Loss and Power - first half starts slow, but 2nd half is as good as their first 2 (from 20 years ago)
Third Eye / Vengeance Fulfilled - Tiago Masseti (who I adore from Daydream XI) on the mic, but musically it's so-so
Extreme / Six - I liked very much
Ashrain / Requiem Reloaded - I think King recommended this to me
Karfagen / Passage to the Forest of Mysterious - Frost* meets Moon Safari ... fans of either should definitely check this one out.
Entering Polaris / ATLANTEAN SHORES
Entering Polaris / AND SILENTLY THE AGE DID PASS
Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution / Golden Age of Music - Arjen's getting too samey. I liked it, but I've heard it all before.
Derrick Trafecante/Derek Sherinian / Lost Tomorrows - I never would have thought I'd like anything with DS more than DT
Project Roenwolfe / Project Roenwolfe - Some classic Metal here.
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I didn't even know Xandria had a new one out, will have to get onto that.
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Chad, I'm going to go through your list. There's a lot I haven't checked out.
I had checked out the Entering Polaris last week or so and it sounds awesome, but I'm not crazy about different singers on every song. But they're all great singers so there's that.
I was pimping the Ashrain. It's the singer from Hibria. He's great on it, but songs lag behind a bit.
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I didn't even know Xandria had a new one out, will have to get onto that.
I need to give them some listens since they are opening for Kamelot. Sounding like Nightwish is a positive for my tastes.
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Chad, I'm going to go through your list. There's a lot I haven't checked out.
I had checked out the Entering Polaris last week or so and it sounds awesome, but I'm not crazy about different singers on every song. But they're all great singers so there's that.
I was pimping the Ashrain. It's the singer from Hibria. He's great on it, but songs lag behind a bit.
Ash rain is one I think I’ll end up saving a few tracks, but not the whole album.
I’ll prioritize for you in the morning. Wouldn’t want to subject you to anything that would be too soft or mellow for ya. :lol
Same for you with Xandria, Marc.
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@ Tim, I suspect you know/recognize most of the “Purchased” list. From the Spotify list:
Infinite & Divine … Tessa Prezzi on the mic (who was on the second Epysode album). It’s heavy enough, but I know your lack of appreciation for the ladies
Mystic Prophecy… do it
Demons Down … might be a little too fluffy
All My Shadows … avoid this; it’s Andy Kuntz (Vanden Plas) on the mic.
Girish and the Chronicles … might work for you
Tulip … it’s like Ad Infinitum (if you’ve listened to them). Female vox with almost a pop-metal vibe.
Tygers of Pan Tang… maybe?
Silver Bullet … Symphonic Power Metal. Your call.
Andy James … instrumental guitar god. Do it!
Crowne … probably too melodic and catchy for you ;)
Evermore … do it.
Creye … listen at your own peril. It’s like Eclipse, and perfectly suited for Frontiers - it’s “soft-cock shit”.
Air Raid … give it a shot
Galneryus… if you haven’t listened yet, do it.
On the TBD, give the Sherinian one a go. I’m pretty sure you’ve already checked out the Project Roenwolfe. Also, The Raven Age (I sent you Parasite in your Roulette) comes out this week.
@ Marc. My Xandria rec's. I started looking at their discog, and simply realized that I liked each successive album more. So, just start working backwards. You'll likely get a lot from the new album at the show, since there's (yet another) new singer. Diane Van Giersbergen (sister of) was the singer for the two albums (and an EP) prior to this year's release.
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I haven't spent enough time with ten albums from this year I don't think. I missed that there's a new Galneryus album. I'll have to check that out.
Going to have to trawl this thread I think. Spend too much time with SH era Marillion ahead of the weekender in May.
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Silver Bullet … Symphonic Power Metal. Your call.
I have this one in my HMs...I REALLY like it. Sounds great, it's punchy and all songs hit the mark.
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Diane Van Giersbergen (sister of)
She and Anneke are not related.
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The new Xandria is fantastic. The new singer is excellent. I also really loved the Diane albums a lot as well. I have the whole catalog and they are a solid band.
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Yeah, I'll get the new album and start there at some point.
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Updated list…
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. In Flames - Foregone
3. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
4. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An 5. Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
5. Ghost - Phantomime
6. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
7. Enslaved - Heimdal
8. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
9. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
10. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
11. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
12. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
13. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
14. Haken - Fauna
15. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
16. Messa - Live at Roadburn
17. The Ocean - Holocene
18. Sigh - The Eastern Forces of Evil 2022 Live
19. Drain - Living Proof
20. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
21. Mutoid Man - Mutants
22. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
23. Death Pill - Death Pill
24. Thy Catafalque - Alföld
25. Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
26. Nospūn - Opus
27. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
28. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
29. Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall
30. The Meffs - Broken Britain, Pt. 2
This is definitely going to see some further movement soon, discovered some more great albums thanks to you guys recently.
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No wonder you couldn't stand my besmirchment of the A7X song. :lol
I'm not going to bother updating mine probably 'til sometime perhaps in September or October, when I've had a chance to sort things out. I know there are some '23 songs I like that are attached to albums I haven't had time to become very acquainted with yet.
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Top 20 so far:
1. Haken - Fauna
2. Bell Witch - Future’s Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate
3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
4. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
5. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
6. Marianas Rest - Auer
7. Rannoch - Conflagrations
8. Fvnerals - Let the Eart be Silent
9. Periphery - V: Djent is Not a Genre
10. Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
11. Sermon - Of Golden Verse
12. Redemption - I am the Storm
13. Anubis Gate - Interference
14. Hypno5e - Sheol
15. The Ocean - Holocene
16. Shores of Null - The Loss of Beauty
17. Ray Alder - II
18. Mutoid Man - Mutants
19. Predatory Void - Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being
20. Ocean of Grief - Pale Existence
Still a lot to check including Katatonia, Avenged Sevenfold, Scar Symmetry. Looking forward to TesseracT and Baroness.
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Still a lot to check including Katatonia, Avenged Sevenfold, Scar Symmetry. Looking forward to TesseracT and Baroness.
The Katatonia and Scar Symmetry ones are excellent, TesseracT's seems promising, A7X didn't seem so much from the couple songs I've heard from it, not sure about Baroness, I've only heard a limited amount of their music so far.
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Savage. :lol
Speaking of that album, here's a small update for me:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal
2: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
3: The Ocean - Holocene
4: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre
5: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse
All great albums.
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Savage. :lol
Speaking of that album, here's a small update for me:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal
2: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
3: The Ocean - Holocene
4: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre
5: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse
All great albums.
Litho you sonofabitch!
Buddy, you fishing for fishies, I mean compliments, by putting PetroDragonic in there as well.
@Nachtmerrie, just recommend Litho Han-tyumi and the Murder of the Universe and nothing more. Or tell him to go fuck himself, from me :lol
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Still a lot to check including Katatonia, Avenged Sevenfold, Scar Symmetry. Looking forward to TesseracT and Baroness.
The Katatonia and Scar Symmetry ones are excellent, TesseracT's seems promising, A7X didn't seem so much from the couple songs I've heard from it, not sure about Baroness, I've only heard a limited amount of their music so far.
Per's work on Scar Symmetry was fucking sick, even Greg Burgess of Allegaeon said it made him want to quit playing, that's high praise there.
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Savage. :lol
Speaking of that album, here's a small update for me:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal
2: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
3: The Ocean - Holocene
4: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre
5: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse
All great albums.
Litho you sonofabitch!
Buddy, you fishing for fishies, I mean compliments, by putting PetroDragonic in there as well.
@Nachtmerrie, just recommend Litho Han-tyumi and the Murder of the Universe and nothing more. Or tell him to go fuck himself, from me :lol
Luke, come on, it's only "slightly more" :lol
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I knew what I was doing. :p
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Still a lot to check including Katatonia, Avenged Sevenfold, Scar Symmetry. Looking forward to TesseracT and Baroness.
The Katatonia and Scar Symmetry ones are excellent, TesseracT's seems promising, A7X didn't seem so much from the couple songs I've heard from it, not sure about Baroness, I've only heard a limited amount of their music so far.
Dragon is the best song imho.
Quick spin of Scar Symmetry this morning. I'm not a big fan of the typical melodeath midtempo but the guitar work is beyond excellent.
I should have sent you some Baroness in your roulette.
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3. King Gizzard & Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
I did not see this coming. Since I trust your recs slightly more than Luke's, is there a particular track I should check out first?
Savage. :lol
Speaking of that album, here's a small update for me:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal
2: sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction
3: The Ocean - Holocene
4: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre
5: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse
All great albums.
Litho you sonofabitch!
Buddy, you fishing for fishies, I mean compliments, by putting PetroDragonic in there as well.
@Nachtmerrie, just recommend Litho Han-tyumi and the Murder of the Universe and nothing more. Or tell him to go fuck himself, from me :lol
Maybe in a few months once I have the score for my EP
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Dragon is the best song imho.
Huh, not quite what I was expecting (but with them it's probably risky to expect anything in particular). But this is actually the best thing I've heard from them yet. :biggrin:
I should have sent you some Baroness in your roulette.
Suggest a few tracks and I'll check them out sometime later.
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Dragon is the best song imho.
Huh, not quite what I was expecting (but with them it's probably risky to expect anything in particular). But this is actually the best thing I've heard from them yet. :biggrin:
I should have sent you some Baroness in your roulette.
Suggest a few tracks and I'll check them out sometime later.
That Dragon intro is probably the best thing on the whole album.
I’m gonna go ahead a suggest some Baroness. Two of my faves, off the top of my head are Green Theme and Shock Me.
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Dragon is the best song imho.
Huh, not quite what I was expecting (but with them it's probably risky to expect anything in particular). But this is actually the best thing I've heard from them yet. :biggrin:
I should have sent you some Baroness in your roulette.
Suggest a few tracks and I'll check them out sometime later.
That Dragon intro is probably the best thing on the whole album.
I’m gonna go ahead a suggest some Baroness. Two of my faves, off the top of my head are Green Theme and Shock Me.
+1 for Shock Me. It’s a great song.
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I should have sent you some Baroness in your roulette.
Suggest a few tracks and I'll check them out sometime later.
Morningstar, Shock Me, Chlorine And Wine
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I have to say, for all the (fair, I suppose) criticism Purple gets for the way it sounds, it is probably my favorite Baroness album…at least the one I go back to more consistently.
The tracks released from the upcoming record sound VERY promising, though
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Updated list…
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. In Flames - Foregone
3. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
4. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An 5. Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
5. Ghost - Phantomime
6. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
7. Enslaved - Heimdal
8. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
9. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
10. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
11. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
12. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
13. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
14. Haken - Fauna
15. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
16. Messa - Live at Roadburn
17. The Ocean - Holocene
18. Sigh - The Eastern Forces of Evil 2022 Live
19. Drain - Living Proof
20. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
21. Mutoid Man - Mutants
22. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
23. Death Pill - Death Pill
24. Thy Catafalque - Alföld
25. Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
26. Nospūn - Opus
27. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
28. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
29. Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall
30. The Meffs - Broken Britain, Pt. 2
This is definitely going to see some further movement soon, discovered some more great albums thanks to you guys recently.
Luke? WTF? Shall I assume new Pizza Death is so fucking high on your list you're waiting for a new number to be invented better than 1?
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Forgive me Glasser, for I have sinned. As much as I love the band they ain’t cracking my top 30 at the moment. I admit, I’m just not as cool as you dude.
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(https://i.giphy.com/media/MUeQeEQaDCjE4/giphy.webp)
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Forgive me Glasser, for I have sinned. As much as I love the band they ain’t cracking my top 30 at the moment. I admit, I’m just not as cool as you dude.
I was only messing with you. You're not as cool as me? I totally suck ass. ???
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There's still a few releases I need to get to before I post mine. Shepherds Reign is coming out this month and I like what I heard so far. Polynesian metal by a bunch of Samoan dudes! :metal
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There's still a few releases I need to get to before I post mine. Shepherds Reign is coming out this month and I like what I heard so far. Polynesian metal by a bunch of Samoan dudes! :metal
I heard when it's finishes you feel like you want to hear Samoa.
I'm so sorry. ;D
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(https://goldenrobotrecords.com/uploads/website---hero-image-101.png)
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Updated list…
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. In Flames - Foregone
3. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
4. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An 5. Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
5. Ghost - Phantomime
6. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
7. Enslaved - Heimdal
8. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
9. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
10. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
11. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
12. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
13. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
14. Haken - Fauna
15. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
16. Messa - Live at Roadburn
17. The Ocean - Holocene
18. Sigh - The Eastern Forces of Evil 2022 Live
19. Drain - Living Proof
20. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
21. Mutoid Man - Mutants
22. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
23. Death Pill - Death Pill
24. Thy Catafalque - Alföld
25. Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
26. Nospūn - Opus
27. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
28. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
29. Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall
30. The Meffs - Broken Britain, Pt. 2
This is definitely going to see some further movement soon, discovered some more great albums thanks to you guys recently.
Nice list man! Enslaved, Cattle, A7X, Haken, Nospūn probably on mine too :metal :tup
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Forgive me Glasser, for I have sinned. As much as I love the band they ain’t cracking my top 30 at the moment. I admit, I’m just not as cool as you dude.
Once again Luke, Im sorry, I didn't mean to come off badly, I was completely joking with you brother! :) :heart :metal
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Forgive me Glasser, for I have sinned. As much as I love the band they ain’t cracking my top 30 at the moment. I admit, I’m just not as cool as you dude.
Once again Luke, Im sorry, I didn't mean to come off badly, I was completely joking with you brother! :) :heart :metal
You’re good dude, no need to apologise at all!
As for my list, I’m pretty sure I have you to thank for Cattle Decapitaton and Nospūn.
I think you’d like the Sigh, Drain, and Death Pill albums, check em out.
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I do like Sigh, a lot actually. You're right, that's a top 10 easily.
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I do like Sigh, a lot actually. You're right, that's a top 10 easily.
You should definitely check out Drain and Death Pill. Not many around these parts would probably like these albums but I know you would. They’re both really short as well, so wouldn’t take much to spin them both.
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I do like Sigh, a lot actually. You're right, that's a top 10 easily.
You should definitely check out Drain and Death Pill. Not many around these parts would probably like these albums but I know you would. They’re both really short as well, so wouldn’t take much to spin them both.
I absolutely will, thanks!
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Finally checked out a new album after a bit of a hualt to check out lots of the bands I've been seeing this summer that I wasn't too familiar with.
Voyager - Fearless in Love definitely is shooting up my list, not to the top, but maybe into the top 10.
I've also listened to the new Bouncing Souls and Xandria. Not sure where those will rank, need more listens but neither seem likely for top 10. (Bouncing Souls likely not even top 20)
I still have the new Greta Van Fleet, Rancid and Mammoth WVH on my phone to check out and I'll have time soon to do that.
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Struggling to find 10 "top" releases this year. A7X, In Flames, Cattle Decapitation, Metallica, Haken, Pizza Death....... There's definitely a noticeable shortage of quality releases nowadays (says the Pizza Death fan) :lol
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Struggling to find 10 "top" releases this year. A7X, In Flames, Cattle Decapitation, Metallica, Haken, Pizza Death....... There's definitely a noticeable shortage of quality releases nowadays (says the Pizza Death fan) :lol
I know what you mean dude. It is the downside of listening to so much music, unfortunately. It takes a LOT for something to really melt your brain.
There are definitely some great albums that have come out this year, but Avenged Sevenfold’s is the only one I am really in awe of.
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Struggling to find 10 "top" releases this year. A7X, In Flames, Cattle Decapitation, Metallica, Haken, Pizza Death....... There's definitely a noticeable shortage of quality releases nowadays (says the Pizza Death fan) :lol
Hey Glasser - did you check out the latest Voyager? I thought I remember you are a fan, but I might be wrong...
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Struggling to find 10 "top" releases this year. A7X, In Flames, Cattle Decapitation, Metallica, Haken, Pizza Death....... There's definitely a noticeable shortage of quality releases nowadays (says the Pizza Death fan) :lol
I know what you mean dude. It is the downside of listening to so much music, unfortunately. It takes a LOT for something to really melt your brain.
There are definitely some great albums that have come out this year, but Avenged Sevenfold’s is the only one I am really in awe of.
I have become picky to my own taste, listening to a lot of my older albums. The market is saturated and I just can't keep up with it. The new Scar Symmetry is a top 10 as well.
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Struggling to find 10 "top" releases this year. A7X, In Flames, Cattle Decapitation, Metallica, Haken, Pizza Death....... There's definitely a noticeable shortage of quality releases nowadays (says the Pizza Death fan) :lol
Hey Glasser - did you check out the latest Voyager? I thought I remember you are a fan, but I might be wrong...
I skimmed it. I love the early Voyager albums a lot, it seems they are departing from their style that drew me in. That said, I plan on giving it a fair listen being how talented Dan Estrin is.
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Updated list again.
I do this every year, I swear I’m not gonna get sucked into listening to a stupid amount of albums and ranking them, but here we are. I’ll just post my top 30, and maybe at the end of the year post the master list of all the albums ranked…
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
3. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
4. In Flames - Foregone
5. Ghost - Phantomime
6. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
7. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
8. Distant Worlds Orchestra - Distant Worlds VI: More Music From Final Fantasy
9. Enslaved - Heimdal
10. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
11. Haken - Fauna
12. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
13. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
14. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
15. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
16. Mutoid Man - Mutants
17. AVKRVST - The Approbation
18. Nospūn - Opus
19. Rannoch - Conflagrations
20. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
21. Messa - Live at Roadburn
22. Sigh - The Eastern Forces of Evil 2022 Live
23. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
24. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
25. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
26. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
27. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows
28. Drain - Living Proof
29. The Ocean - Holocene
30. Sarmat - Determined to Strike
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I haven't add too much to my 2023 list but here is how it shakes out now:
1. Post Malone - Austin - 5/5 (really impressed by how great this album is)
2. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5
3. Ola Englund - The Chug Project, Vol. 1 - 4.5/5
4. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are - 4.5/5 (Surprisingly good album)
5. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4.5/5
6. Fractures - Shift - 3.5/5
7. Metallica - 72 Seasons - 3.5/5
8. Balmorhea - Pendant World - 3/5
9. Skrillex - Quest For Fire - 3/5
10. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5
11. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes - 2.5/5
12. Filter - The Algorithm - 2/5 (there were some good spots here but otherwise this album isn't great)
13. Haken - Fauna - 2/5
14. The Winery Dogs - III - 2/5
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I haven't add too much to my 2023 list but here is how it shakes out now:
1. Post Malone - Austin - 5/5 (really impressed by how great this album is)
2. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5
3. Ola Englund - The Chug Project, Vol. 1 - 4.5/5
4. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are - 4.5/5 (Surprisingly good album)
5. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4.5/5
6. Fractures - Shift - 3.5/5
7. Metallica - 72 Seasons - 3.5/5
8. Balmorhea - Pendant World - 3/5
9. Skrillex - Quest For Fire - 3/5
10. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5
11. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes - 2.5/5
12. Filter - The Algorithm - 2/5 (there were some good spots here but otherwise this album isn't great)
13. Haken - Fauna - 2/5
14. The Winery Dogs - III - 2/5
Wow...that Isbell album and the Haken release are probably my top releases for the year.
At this point, I dare to say, Fauna is my favorite (gasp!) Haken album.
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Updated list again.
I do this every year, I swear I’m not gonna get sucked into listening to a stupid amount of albums and ranking them, but here we are. I’ll just post my top 30, and maybe at the end of the year post the master list of all the albums ranked…
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
3. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
4. In Flames - Foregone
5. Ghost - Phantomime
6. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
7. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
8. Distant Worlds Orchestra - Distant Worlds VI: More Music From Final Fantasy
9. Enslaved - Heimdal
10. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
11. Haken - Fauna
12. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
13. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
14. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
15. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
16. Mutoid Man - Mutants
17. AVKRVST - The Approbation
18. Nospūn - Opus
19. Rannoch - Conflagrations
20. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
21. Messa - Live at Roadburn
22. Sigh - The Eastern Forces of Evil 2022 Live
23. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
24. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
25. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
26. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
27. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows
28. Drain - Living Proof
29. The Ocean - Holocene
30. Sarmat - Determined to Strike
More than a few that I haven't checked out yet...
I'm seeing the AVKRVST record (which I very much enjoyed myself)...have you tried The Anchoret - "It All Began With Loneliness"? It's a tad heavier, but I feel it overall has a similar mood.
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I haven't add too much to my 2023 list but here is how it shakes out now:
1. Post Malone - Austin - 5/5 (really impressed by how great this album is)
2. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5
3. Ola Englund - The Chug Project, Vol. 1 - 4.5/5
4. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are - 4.5/5 (Surprisingly good album)
5. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4.5/5
6. Fractures - Shift - 3.5/5
7. Metallica - 72 Seasons - 3.5/5
8. Balmorhea - Pendant World - 3/5
9. Skrillex - Quest For Fire - 3/5
10. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5
11. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes - 2.5/5
12. Filter - The Algorithm - 2/5 (there were some good spots here but otherwise this album isn't great)
13. Haken - Fauna - 2/5
14. The Winery Dogs - III - 2/5
Wow...that Isbell album and the Haken release are probably my top releases for the year.
At this point, I dare to say, Fauna is my favorite (gasp!) Haken album.
I liked the Jason Isbell album it just didn't click with me as much as his other work. It has some great songs, some good songs, and some forgettable songs.
The Haken album is good, Ross is the reason it's rated lower. I can't get onboard with his vocals.
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I haven't add too much to my 2023 list but here is how it shakes out now:
1. Post Malone - Austin - 5/5 (really impressed by how great this album is)
2. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5
3. Ola Englund - The Chug Project, Vol. 1 - 4.5/5
4. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are - 4.5/5 (Surprisingly good album)
5. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4.5/5
6. Fractures - Shift - 3.5/5
7. Metallica - 72 Seasons - 3.5/5
8. Balmorhea - Pendant World - 3/5
9. Skrillex - Quest For Fire - 3/5
10. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5
11. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes - 2.5/5
12. Filter - The Algorithm - 2/5 (there were some good spots here but otherwise this album isn't great)
13. Haken - Fauna - 2/5
14. The Winery Dogs - III - 2/5
Wow...that Isbell album and the Haken release are probably my top releases for the year.
At this point, I dare to say, Fauna is my favorite (gasp!) Haken album.
I liked the Jason Isbell album it just didn't click with me as much as his other work. It has some great songs, some good songs, and some forgettable songs.
The Haken album is good, Ross is the reason it's rated lower. I can't get onboard with his vocals.
Hey, fair enough.
While I'm of the opinion that Ross has come a long way in the vocals department, I will be the first to admit that he's a lot like JLB–pretty much love or hate.
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Not a ton of "great' albums released this year but there were some good ones. Not many i have listened to a lot though
1. Voyager - Fearless in Love
2. Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution - Golden Age of Music
3. Redemption I Am the Storm
4. Eclipse - Megalomanium
5. Ray Alder - III
6. Jag Panzer - The Hallowed
7. UDO - Touchdown
8. Metal Church - Congregation of Annhiliation
9. Overkill - Scorched
10. Archon Angel - II
Flower Kings just came out and Subsignal later this month so those may top these, but not sure.Last year there were a ton of good albums, but its kinda light this year at least for what i listen to.
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At this point, I dare to say, Fauna is my favorite (gasp!) Haken album.
Yay!
*hugs*
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I quite like Haken, but I've never been that into them. Fauna is a good album, but there's something missing. 72 Seasons is a great album, really enjoyed it, but there's a feeling Metallica are just going through the motions at this point, there's no real artistry there. I'm loving Six by Extreme, but there's too many truly naff songs on it.
In short, I haven't heard a truly great album yet this year. If this carries on, my favourite album of the year may well be an award not given this year (not that anyone cares!)
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Going over the release date calendar thread, there's not much more for me of interest this year. There's Steven Wilson, Rolling Stones, and D'Virgilio/Morse/Jennings left this year.
And I agree with The Curious Orange above - there's been good albums but not one truly great that stands out for me this year. We'll see what will end up as my #1, but as of now I have no clue. Maybe Foo Fighters.
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i won't begin to compile my favorites until december probably, but there's been a lot of good stuff this year! my personal list is up to 190 2023 release i've heard
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At this point, I dare to say, Fauna is my favorite (gasp!) Haken album.
Yay!
*hugs*
Oh boy, don't hate me, but I actually haven't even listened to it yet....
I suppose I should do that.....soon... :corn
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Think I've just heard what might be my favourite album of the year - Mother Road by Grace Potter.
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My current rankings....
Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A dream
Delain - Dark Waters
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
Haken - Fauna
Voyager - Fearless in Love
Avatar - Dance Devil Dance
VV - Neon Noir
Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher
Kamelot - The Awakening
Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
The Winery Dogs - III
Babymetal - The Other One
In Flames - Forgone
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
Steel Panther - On The Prowl
Still some other new albums already out that I need to check out, should get more time to explore new music after this week. Also going to the Code Orange album release show next week so I'll have to check their new album out too.
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Nice list Cram! As a fellow punk fan I’d suggest checking out…
Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition (ska punk)
The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static (pop punk)
The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions (kinda pop punk ish)
Really great albums!
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Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II is my number one of the year easily. I’ve yet to hear anything that can dethrone it.
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Nice list Cram! As a fellow punk fan I’d suggest checking out…
Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition (ska punk)
The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static (pop punk)
The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions (kinda pop punk ish)
Really great albums!
Nice, not sure when/if I'll get to these but I'll keep it in mind. I know we've got a lot of similar tastes so I wouldn't be surprised if these are solid. (although I'm generally not a huge pop punk fan, even though I've seen like 20 pop punk concerts the last two years :lol)
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II is my number one of the year easily. I’ve yet to hear anything that can dethrone it.
This has been on my list for awhile now to check out since seeing Mammoth WVH on their album release date opening for Metallica. I just haven't gotten around to it. Having said that, I also didn't love a couple of the singles so that's proabbly why I haven't gotten to it. Definitely hoping the meat of the album is good though, got my tickets to see them again this fall.
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Tesseract - War of Being is passing OK Goodnight on them left to take my top spot.
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Tesseract - War of Being is passing OK Goodnight on them left to take my top spot.
I was looking at local venues yesterday to see if there were shows before the end of the year that I may want to check out. I've never actually listened to Tesseract, maybe I should chekc out the album and potentially go to the show if I enjoy it.
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Tesseract - War of Being is passing OK Goodnight on them left to take my top spot.
I was looking at local venues yesterday to see if there were shows before the end of the year that I may want to check out. I've never actually listened to Tesseract, maybe I should chekc out the album and potentially go to the show if I enjoy it.
I wouldn't miss them if I were you. They're pretty amazing live. For someone who likes to take chances, this is a chance you should definitely take
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Tesseract - War of Being is passing OK Goodnight on them left to take my top spot.
I was looking at local venues yesterday to see if there were shows before the end of the year that I may want to check out. I've never actually listened to Tesseract, maybe I should chekc out the album and potentially go to the show if I enjoy it.
I wouldn't miss them if I were you. They're pretty amazing live. For someone who likes to take chances, this is a chance you should definitely take
The line up didn't catch my eye though. Intervals, I already saw them... at the same venue this year :lol so it really would rely on me enjoying that album. It's on my radar now. We'll see. A big reason for even looking was because I have a $20 live nation coupon for that venue that expires before the end of the year.
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Tesseract - War of Being is passing OK Goodnight on them left to take my top spot.
I was looking at local venues yesterday to see if there were shows before the end of the year that I may want to check out. I've never actually listened to Tesseract, maybe I should chekc out the album and potentially go to the show if I enjoy it.
I wouldn't miss them if I were you. They're pretty amazing live. For someone who likes to take chances, this is a chance you should definitely take
The line up didn't catch my eye though. Intervals, I already saw them... at the same venue this year :lol so it really would rely on me enjoying that album. It's on my radar now. We'll see. A big reason for even looking was because I have a $20 live nation coupon for that venue that expires before the end of the year.
Oh c'mon.. that makes it a 15 dollar ticket....do it man...for me...
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Tesseract - War of Being is passing OK Goodnight on them left to take my top spot.
I was looking at local venues yesterday to see if there were shows before the end of the year that I may want to check out. I've never actually listened to Tesseract, maybe I should chekc out the album and potentially go to the show if I enjoy it.
I wouldn't miss them if I were you. They're pretty amazing live. For someone who likes to take chances, this is a chance you should definitely take
The line up didn't catch my eye though. Intervals, I already saw them... at the same venue this year :lol so it really would rely on me enjoying that album. It's on my radar now. We'll see. A big reason for even looking was because I have a $20 live nation coupon for that venue that expires before the end of the year.
Oh c'mon.. that makes it a 15 dollar ticket....do it man...for me...
New York City though, add another 30-50 to just get there. It's not that simple even if I do go to 50+ shows a year :lol end of the day, I need to check the album out before I decide.
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Fine...
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Been making some changes to my list as I've listened to a few more albums since last update, rough standing (changes can definitely still happen)
Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A dream
Delain - Dark Waters
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
Code Orange - The Above
Haken - Fauna
Voyager - Fearless in Love
Avatar - Dance Devil Dance
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
Rave the Reqviem - EX-EDEN
VV - Neon Noir
Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher
Kamelot - The Awakening
Within Temptation - Bleed Out
The Winery Dogs - III
Babymetal - The Other One
Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
Metallica - 72 Seasons
In Flames - Forgone
Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
Steel Panther - On The Prowl
still want to check out (in order of likeliness I actually listen to them this year):
Beartooth - The Surface
Twilight Force - At the Heart of Wintervale
Eclipse - Megalomainum
Cyhra - The Vertigo Trigger
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Been making some changes to my list as I've listened to a few more albums since last update, rough standing (changes can definitely still happen)
Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A dream
Delain - Dark Waters
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
Code Orange - The Above
Haken - Fauna
Voyager - Fearless in Love
Avatar - Dance Devil Dance
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
Rave the Reqviem - EX-EDEN
VV - Neon Noir
Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher
Kamelot - The Awakening
Within Temptation - Bleed Out
The Winery Dogs - III
Babymetal - The Other One
Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
Metallica - 72 Seasons
In Flames - Forgone
Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
Steel Panther - On The Prowl
still want to check out (in order of likeliness I actually listen to them this year):
Beartooth - The Surface
Twilight Force - At the Heart of Wintervale
Eclipse - Megalomainum
Cyhra - The Vertigo Trigger
DGM comes out in November and I have high expectations on that making my list.
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Marc ... If you dig that Eclipse and Cyhra album, try Creye / III:Weightless. Autumn's Child might float your boat too.
Did you check out Tygers of Pan Tang?
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DGM comes out in November and I have high expectations on that making my list.
Same. Along with Angra.
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Marc ... If you dig that Eclipse and Cyhra album, try Creye / III:Weightless. Autumn's Child might float your boat too.
Did you check out Tygers of Pan Tang?
I heard the Cyhra album sucks so it got pushed to the bottom. I mostly forgot about Eclipse and haaven't heard anything. Not familiar with the others.
DGM comes out in November and I have high expectations on that making my list.
Same. Along with Angra.
Didn't realize their album was close to release, I'll have to check that out too then
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Marc ... If you dig that Eclipse and Cyhra album, try Creye / III:Weightless. Autumn's Child might float your boat too.
Did you check out Tygers of Pan Tang?
I heard the Cyhra album sucks so it got pushed to the bottom. I mostly forgot about Eclipse and haaven't heard anything. Not familiar with the others.
DGM comes out in November and I have high expectations on that making my list.
Same. Along with Angra.
Didn't realize their album was close to release, I'll have to check that out too then
Eclipse was unmemorable; Cyrha was not terrible.
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Totally forgot Eclipse came out with one. That being said Megalomainum is the most Eclipse album title I've ever heard.
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Totally forgot Eclipse came out with one. That being said Megalomainum is the most Eclipse album title I've ever heard.
When you listen, it's also the most Eclipse sounding album you'll ever hear.
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Still so much to hear and so many albums to revisit, but here is the top 40 or so for now.
Anubis Gate - Interference
Autumn's Grey Solace - Cease To Exist
Bastard Grave - Vortex of Disgust
Blackbriar - A Dark Euphony
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Conspiracy of Zero - Anthos arouris
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game
Delain - Dark Waters
Depeche Mode - Memento mori
District 97 - Stay For the Ending
Ellevere - Reminiscence
Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead
Esben & The Witch - Hold Sacred
FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent
Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys
GUNSHIP - Unicorn
Hanging Garden - The Garden
KANGA - Under Glass
Karnataka - Requiem For a Dream
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Lights - dEd
Mega Drive - 200XAD
Mercenary - Soundtrack For the End Times
mind.in.a.box - Black and White
Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
Nickel Creek - Celebrants
Paramore - This Is Why
PRVIS - Evergreen
Rannoch - Conflagrations
Rise To Fall - The Fifth Dimension
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
Soen - Memorial
Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals
Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask
TesseracT - War of Being
The Answer Lies in the Black Void - Thou Shalt
The Jordan - Nowhere Near the Sky
The Keening - Little Bird
Ulfud - Of Existential Distortion
Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes
Volkor X - The Loop
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
A few EPs/splits:
Dirt Poor Robins - Prelude To Firebird
Drab Majesty - An Object In Motion
Dream Unending/Worm - Starpath
Iress - Solace
Kate Havnevik - Spark!
MMXX - The Next Wave
The Foreshadowing - Forsaken Songs
And a live album:
The Midnight - Red, White, and Bruised: The Midnight Live
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I've only listened to a handful of 2023 releases, but here they are:
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Lucy Liyou - Dog Dreams
George Clanton - Ooh I Rap Ya
Lana del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Paramore - This is Why
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
Travis Scott - UTOPIA
slowthai - UGLY
Squid - O Monolith
Swans - The Beggar
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Still so much to hear and so many albums to revisit, but here is the top 40 or so for now.
Anubis Gate - Interference
Autumn's Grey Solace - Cease To Exist
Bastard Grave - Vortex of Disgust
Blackbriar - A Dark Euphony
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Conspiracy of Zero - Anthos arouris
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game
Delain - Dark Waters
Depeche Mode - Memento mori
District 97 - Stay For the Ending
Ellevere - Reminiscence
Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead
Esben & The Witch - Hold Sacred
FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent
Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys
GUNSHIP - Unicorn
Hanging Garden - The Garden
KANGA - Under Glass
Karnataka - Requiem For a Dream
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Lights - dEd
Mega Drive - 200XAD
Mercenary - Soundtrack For the End Times
mind.in.a.box - Black and White
Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
Nickel Creek - Celebrants
Paramore - This Is Why
PRVIS - Evergreen
Rannoch - Conflagrations
Rise To Fall - The Fifth Dimension
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
Soen - Memorial
Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals
Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask
TesseracT - War of Being
The Answer Lies in the Black Void - Thou Shalt
The Jordan - Nowhere Near the Sky
The Keening - Little Bird
Ulfud - Of Existential Distortion
Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes
Volkor X - The Loop
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
A few EPs/splits:
Dirt Poor Robins - Prelude To Firebird
Drab Majesty - An Object In Motion
Dream Unending/Worm - Starpath
Iress - Solace
Kate Havnevik - Spark!
MMXX - The Next Wave
The Foreshadowing - Forsaken Songs
And a live album:
The Midnight - Red, White, and Bruised: The Midnight Live
I legit have not even sampled a single one of these. :lol
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
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Still so much to hear and so many albums to revisit, but here is the top 40 or so for now.
Anubis Gate - Interference
Autumn's Grey Solace - Cease To Exist
Bastard Grave - Vortex of Disgust
Blackbriar - A Dark Euphony
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Conspiracy of Zero - Anthos arouris
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game
Delain - Dark Waters
Depeche Mode - Memento mori
District 97 - Stay For the Ending
Ellevere - Reminiscence
Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead
Esben & The Witch - Hold Sacred
FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent
Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys
GUNSHIP - Unicorn
Hanging Garden - The Garden
KANGA - Under Glass
Karnataka - Requiem For a Dream
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Lights - dEd
Mega Drive - 200XAD
Mercenary - Soundtrack For the End Times
mind.in.a.box - Black and White
Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
Nickel Creek - Celebrants
Paramore - This Is Why
PRVIS - Evergreen
Rannoch - Conflagrations
Rise To Fall - The Fifth Dimension
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
Soen - Memorial
Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals
Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask
TesseracT - War of Being
The Answer Lies in the Black Void - Thou Shalt
The Jordan - Nowhere Near the Sky
The Keening - Little Bird
Ulfud - Of Existential Distortion
Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes
Volkor X - The Loop
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
A few EPs/splits:
Dirt Poor Robins - Prelude To Firebird
Drab Majesty - An Object In Motion
Dream Unending/Worm - Starpath
Iress - Solace
Kate Havnevik - Spark!
MMXX - The Next Wave
The Foreshadowing - Forsaken Songs
And a live album:
The Midnight - Red, White, and Bruised: The Midnight Live
I legit have not even sampled a single one of these. :lol
Not even the Scar Symmetry? I'd think that'd be in your wheelhouse, some seriously sick guitar work on that one.
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Tons of growls though.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
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I really should wait to see if I get invited to your roulette first in case I want to use them. ;) I have no shortage of older stuff anyway though.
Anubis Gate is probably the best bet. Prog/power, not unknown, but they should be way bigger than they are given DTF's tastes.
Blackbriar and Delain are symphonic metal with female leads, among the better bands of their kind. A bit of harsh vocals in Delain, but not too much.
Karnataka is more neo-prog esque, female lead. Not far off something like Mostly Autumn or Magenta if you know them.
District 97 is kind of hard to describe, but it seems they're starting to blow up. Female lead, kind of art/alt prog rock/metal, quite interesting.
TesseracT and Soen are 2nd/3rd-tier DTF favorites that I would think you'd have at least heard something earlier from. TesseracT is djenty and has some harsh vocals, but not overbearingly so. Soen is more Tool-ish, but excellent.
Wytch Hazel is throwback hard rock/trad metal, Thin Lizzy-ish, one of TAC's favorites that I sent in his previous roulette.
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Yeah... I know Delain, but stopped following after Charlotte left.
Anubis Gate ... I'm sure I've heard something of theirs at some point. I think someone gave them to me in a roulette before, but can't remember how they did.
District 97... have they been around for a while, because the name sounds familiar.
Tesseract - pretty sure I tried them at some point, but was unimpressed. Definitely tried them an wasn't impressed. I think they keep coming up in my Spotify Radar when there's a new release, and they both get a quick skip, iirc.
Wytch Hazel... another name that sounds familiar.
I know Mostly Autumn, so maybe I'll give Karnataka a go at some point - but not until after my roulette ... in case you end up playing.
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Anubis Gate ... I'm sure I've heard something of theirs at some point. I think someone gave them to me in a roulette before, but can't remember how they did.
I would highly recommend checking them out again. They are really good. Try "The Detached" (2009) for the period with Jacob Hansen on vocals and "Anubis Gate" (2011) for the period with Henrik Fevre...Litho might have different recs, but these two might be my overall favorites of theirs.
But, yes, back to 2023, their album this year was great too. It was a real grower.
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Yeah... I know Delain, but stopped following after Charlotte left.
Anubis Gate ... I'm sure I've heard something of theirs at some point. I think someone gave them to me in a roulette before, but can't remember how they did.
District 97... have they been around for a while, because the name sounds familiar.
I was really apprehensive about Charlotte leaving as well, but I was pleasantly surprised with Diana on the new one. She's probably trying a bit too hard to sound like Charlotte (might be at Martijn's behest), but it works way better than it has any right to. It doesn't top their best earlier albums, but it exceeded my expectations.
Anubis Gate is really consistent, so there aren't really any wrong answers, but I might agree with Nick on The Detached, though Covered In Black is way up there for me as well. I know Puppies said he likes Andromeda Unchained, and that's quite popular as well.
District 97 definitely isn't a new band, their first album was in '10, but I didn't even know they existed until a few years ago, and didn't start hearing any hype for them at all until relatively recently, and they're still quite under the radar for most people.
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Currently I'm looking at:
1. Peter Gabriel - i/o
Techcnically I have not heard the album. But with 11 of 12 songs released so far I feeI can safely say this comes up top.
2. Steven Wilson - Harmony Codex
3. Doris Brendel and Lee Dunham - Pigs Might Fly
4. Myrkur - Spine
5. Rain - Radio Silence
6. Riverside - ID.Entity
7. Big Big Train - Ingnious Devices
8. Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution - Golden Age of Music
9. Myrkur - Ragnarök
10. The Flower Kings - Look At You Now
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Yeah... I know Delain, but stopped following after Charlotte left.
Anubis Gate ... I'm sure I've heard something of theirs at some point. I think someone gave them to me in a roulette before, but can't remember how they did.
District 97... have they been around for a while, because the name sounds familiar.
I was really apprehensive about Charlotte leaving as well, but I was pleasantly surprised with Diana on the new one. She's probably trying a bit too hard to sound like Charlotte (might be at Martijn's behest), but it works way better than it has any right to. It doesn't top their best earlier albums, but it exceeded my expectations.
New Delain is awesome, maybe the best Delain album. Diana is great in her own way. I do think she's very similar to Charlotte and since the guitarist asked me at Progpower "Do we sound the same?" and I said yes, I think they are going for a very similar style with her.
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4. Myrkur - Spine
9. Myrkur - Ragnarök
I listened to these a couple days ago. They'll need more plays, but they seemed to be solid and on par with her earlier work.
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4. Myrkur - Spine
9. Myrkur - Ragnarök
I listened to these a couple days ago. They'll need more plays, but they seemed to be solid and on par with her earlier work.
I listened to Spine (and quite enjoyed it) but didn't realise Ragnarök came out this year as well.
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I've only listened to a handful of 2023 releases, but here they are:
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Lucy Liyou - Dog Dreams
George Clanton - Ooh I Rap Ya
Lana del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Paramore - This is Why
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
Travis Scott - UTOPIA
slowthai - UGLY
Squid - O Monolith
Swans - The Beggar
No Sufjan?
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Hadn't listened to it enough back when I made the post, but yeah, I'd def include it in the top 3.
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Chad, have you checked out Soen? Not saying their new album is their best, but it is solid and not too dissimilar to their previous albums.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
When it comes to the non growl vocals, I couldn't agree more. It's like Eclipse, ffs. So the dichotomy of that and the growls is REALLY jarring.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
Their choruses and the occasional verse can certainly veer in that direction, but there's nothing particularly "light" about something like the title track "Pitch Black Progress".
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
When it comes to the non growl vocals, I couldn't agree more. It's like Eclipse, ffs. So the dichotomy of that and the growls is REALLY jarring.
I can see that with the newer stuff and the current singers. I haven't bothered with Eclipse for a few albums. They just kinda piss me off now.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
Their choruses and the occasional verse can certainly veer in that direction, but there's nothing particularly "light" about something like the title track "Pitch Black Progress".
Oh no, I agree there. That whole album is a monster. I was more meaning the newer stuff. The last one was fine but there's something off about the new one for me. The melodies and the cleans just don't gel that well for me. As Chad said, jarring is a good word. I'm gonna go back to it though as I've loved pretty much everything they have done up til now.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
Their choruses and the occasional verse can certainly veer in that direction, but there's nothing particularly "light" about something like the title track "Pitch Black Progress".
Oh no, I agree there. That whole album is a monster. I was more meaning the newer stuff. The last one was fine but there's something off about the new one for me. The melodies and the cleans just don't gel that well for me. As Chad said, jarring is a good word. I'm gonna go back to it though as I've loved pretty much everything they have done up til now.
Hmm, kind of opposite for me. I was crestfallen when Alvestam left, and didn't give the albums after more than a few cursory listens. Per's solos were still incredible, and Karlsson's grows were quite good, but Palmqvist's cleans felt like a huge step down. But with the new album while I'm still not completely "over" Alvestam leaving, enough distance has passed that I'm more at peace with it. The cleans still aren't a highlight, but they're decent enough now, and the songs grabbed me more, particularly "Xenotaph". I think this will eventually lead to me reappraising the in-between albums now.
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I thought you liked Mercenary enough that you were thinking of sending something from them in TAC's roulette? A lot of these are pretty niche, but I imagine some would appeal to you.
Oh shit, you're right. I missed that on your list. Recommend me one or two that I should give a go at.
@ RJ... I've tried SS before, but kinda meh due to the grow factor. I'll give this one a spin and see if my opinion changes.... edit - the first 10 seconds did not help your case. Sick guitar work or not, the growls are killing me. YOU KNOW MY EARS ARE DELICATE FLOWERS!!!! :lol
:lol Scar Symmetry is almost AOR it's so light.
Their choruses and the occasional verse can certainly veer in that direction, but there's nothing particularly "light" about something like the title track "Pitch Black Progress".
Oh no, I agree there. That whole album is a monster. I was more meaning the newer stuff. The last one was fine but there's something off about the new one for me. The melodies and the cleans just don't gel that well for me. As Chad said, jarring is a good word. I'm gonna go back to it though as I've loved pretty much everything they have done up til now.
Hmm, kind of opposite for me. I was crestfallen when Alvestam left, and didn't give the albums after more than a few cursory listens. Per's solos were still incredible, and Karlsson's grows were quite good, but Palmqvist's cleans felt like a huge step down. But with the new album while I'm still not completely "over" Alvestam leaving, enough distance has passed that I'm more at peace with it. The cleans still aren't a highlight, but they're decent enough now, and the songs grabbed me more, particularly "Xenotaph". I think this will eventually lead to me reappraising the in-between albums now.
I picked the new one up on CD for some reason, so I'll throw it in the car tomorrow mate and give it another spin. I agree, I was into the band in real time and Alvestam leaving was massive, especially after HU. Although, I love Per's playing and while DMD wasn't anywhere near as good, it was a quick solid return. I'm with you on the cleans, definitely no Alvestam but I could live with them for the most part. The Unseen Empire however I really loved. I think that may be my second fav SS album. Really good solid collection of songs.
maybe for me too much time has passed. I though Neohumanity was a great record too, maybe it's a me thing with the new one but as I said, maybe it needs another go with fresh ears.
I'll also say, the debut is beautiful and very underrated.
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Yeah, I'm not sure where the consensus is on later albums, but SID always got the short end of the stick, and yet I find the difference in quality between the first three fairly minor. It doesn't have the mini-epic tracks like later ones do, but pretty much all the other ingredients are there.
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Updated list:
1. Bell Witch - Future’s Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate
2. Haken - Fauna
3. TesseracT - War of Being
4. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium: Nahab
5. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse
6. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
7. Riverside - ID.Entity
8. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
9. Marianas Rest - Auer
10. Rorcal - Silence
11. Rannoch - Conflagrations
12. Fvnerals - Let the Eart be Silent
13. Periphery - V: Djent is Not a Genre
14. Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask
15. Sól án Varma – Sól án Varma
16. Baroness - Stone
17. Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
18. Sermon - Of Golden Verse
19. Redemption - I am the Storm
20. Anubis Gate - Interference
21. Hypno5e - Sheol
22. The Ocean - Holocene
23. Shores of Null - The Loss of Beauty
24. Mutoid Man - Mutants
25. Predatory Void - Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being
Still a lot of albums that I want to listen or listen more including Orbit Culture, Wayfarer, Primordial, Downfall of Gaia.
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Other than Redemption and Riverside, I legit have not listened to a single one of these - and haven't even heard OF about 1/2 of them!
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Lots of doom, sludge, post-metal-ish stuff, most of which I don't suspect is normally up your alley.
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Lots of doom, sludge, post-metal-ish stuff, most of which I don't suspect is normally up your alley.
You suspect correctly!
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My updated list and I'm pretty sure it's my final list for the year. Quite a bit of good music this year:
1. KOAN Sound - Led By Ancient Light - 5/5 - I didn't think Post Malone would get beat out but I think this might be my album of the year.
2. Post Malone - Austin - 5/5 (really impressed by how great this album is)
3. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5
4. Ola Englund - The Chug Project, Vol. 1 - 4.5/5
5. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are - 4.5/5 (Surprisingly good album)
6. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4.5/5
7. Fractures - Shift - 3.5/5
8. Metallica - 72 Seasons - 3.5/5
9. Balmorhea - Pendant World - 3/5
10. Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View - 3/5
11. Skrillex - Quest For Fire - 3/5
12. Candlebox - The Long Goodbye - 2.5/5
13. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5
14. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes - 2.5/5
15. Steven Wilson - Harmony Codex - 2.5/5
16. Filter - The Algorithm - 2/5 (there were some good spots here but otherwise this album isn't great)
17. Grails - Anches En Maat
18. Haken - Fauna - 2/5
19. The Winery Dogs - III - 2/5
20. Joe Hisaishi & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - A Symphonic Celebration: Music From The Studio Ghibli Films of Hayo Miyazaki - 2/5
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1. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
2. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
3. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - V
5. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is not a Genre
6. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
7. Ozric Tentacles - Lotus Unfolding
8. Empire State Bastard - Rivers of Heresy
9. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - The Silver Cord
10. Hania Rani - Ghosts
Honorable mention for Metallica's latest record, which was pretty fun and added some nice tunes to their two-night setlist in Amsterdam earlier this year.
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Right now, my Top 10 looks something like this:
1. Theocracy-Mosaic
2. Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
3. Lovebites-Judgement Day
4. Suotana-Ounas I
5. Fires In The Distance-Air Not Meant For Us
6. Tanith-Voyage
7. Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
8. Kalmah-s/t
9. Hanging Garden-The Garden
10. Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
I'll sort out 11-20 or 25 later..
EP's
1. Hwaino-Ashes Of The World Tree
2. Armada North-Colossus
Instrumental
1. June 1974- Please Destroy Me
2. Paul Gilbert-The Dio Album
Live Releases
1. Motorhead- Live At The Montreaux Jazz Festival '07
2. Lovebites- Knocking At Heaven's Gate-Live In Tokyo 2023
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My top 5 at the moment, I'll flesh out a top ten at some point...
1- Tesseract - War of Being
2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
3- Gacharic Spin - W
4- Hanabie - Reborn Superstar!
5- Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear /Haken - Fauna
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2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
I feel like this is just outside of my Top 10, but I expect it to make the Top 15. I think on the whole, I like the Hanging Garden album more, as they're relatively similar.
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Right now, my Top 10 looks something like this:
1. Theocracy-Mosaic
2. Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
3. Lovebites-Judgement Day
4. Suotana-Ounas I
5. Fires In The Distance-Air Not Meant For Us
6. Tanith-Voyage
7. Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
8. Kalmah-s/t
9. Hanging Garden-The Garden
10. Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
Wow, that Fires in the Distance made your top 10, in the end! Also cool to see Hanging Garden in there. It's an album that kept growing for me over the past few months. Not quite sure it'll make my top 10, but it sure was a sleeper hit in my book.
2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
I feel like this is just outside of my Top 10, but I expect it to make the Top 15. I think on the whole, I like the Hanging Garden album more, as they're relatively similar.
I wouldn't have thought of associating the two, other than the presence of female vocals in both...
I enjoy the OK Goodnight album, but it just might be trying too hard to be "eclectic" for me (to be clear, probably not at all what the band is doing...just feels that way to my ears :)). Some parts I absolutely love, some not as much.
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Right now, my Top 10 looks something like this:
1. Theocracy-Mosaic
2. Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
3. Lovebites-Judgement Day
4. Suotana-Ounas I
5. Fires In The Distance-Air Not Meant For Us
6. Tanith-Voyage
7. Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
8. Kalmah-s/t
9. Hanging Garden-The Garden
10. Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
Wow, that Fires in the Distance made your top 10, in the end! Also cool to see Hanging Garden in there. It's an album that kept growing for me over the past few months. Not quite sure it'll make my top 10, but it sure was a sleeper hit in my book.
2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
I feel like this is just outside of my Top 10, but I expect it to make the Top 15. I think on the whole, I like the Hanging Garden album more, as they're relatively similar.
I wouldn't have thought of associating the two, other than the presence of female vocals in both...
I enjoy the OK Goodnight album, but it just might be trying too hard to be "eclectic" for me (to be clear, probably not at all what the band is doing...just feels that way to my ears :)). Some parts I absolutely love, some not as much.
I've listened to the FITD album a half dozen times this week. I'm really enjoying it. The long instrumental passages are so enjoyable. The album works while driving, at work in the background, or sitting on my couch with headphones. It's one of those albums where I don't have to try and like...I just do.
Yeah, the Hanging Garden and OK Goodnight albums seem to pair themselves off to me for some reason.
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Other than Redemption and Riverside, I legit have not listened to a single one of these - and haven't even heard OF about 1/2 of them!
I was thinking the same when I saw the lists of ReaperKK en TAC list ;)
My list is indeed quite heavy this year with a lot of doom.
It probably shows the enormous amount of good music and the diversity of this forum.
Currently listening to the Hanging Garden album and I will pick some more albums out of their lists.
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Currently listening to the Hanging Garden album and I will pick some more albums out of their lists.
Their previous one, Skeleton Lake, is very good too.
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Currently listening to the Hanging Garden album and I will pick some more albums out of their lists.
Their previous one, Skeleton Lake, is very good too.
Yes it is!!
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2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
I feel like this is just outside of my Top 10, but I expect it to make the Top 15. I think on the whole, I like the Hanging Garden album more, as they're relatively similar.
Is the song you sent me from this album?
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2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
I feel like this is just outside of my Top 10, but I expect it to make the Top 15. I think on the whole, I like the Hanging Garden album more, as they're relatively similar.
Is the song you sent me from this album?
It is!
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1. Theocracy-Mosaic
Nice call! I'm loving it! Great songs.Matt sounds awesome and the playing is on point
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Right now, my Top 10 looks something like this:
1. Theocracy-Mosaic
2. Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
3. Lovebites-Judgement Day
4. Suotana-Ounas I
5. Fires In The Distance-Air Not Meant For Us
6. Tanith-Voyage
7. Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
8. Kalmah-s/t
9. Hanging Garden-The Garden
10. Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
Wow, that Fires in the Distance made your top 10, in the end! Also cool to see Hanging Garden in there. It's an album that kept growing for me over the past few months. Not quite sure it'll make my top 10, but it sure was a sleeper hit in my book.
2- OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
I feel like this is just outside of my Top 10, but I expect it to make the Top 15. I think on the whole, I like the Hanging Garden album more, as they're relatively similar.
I wouldn't have thought of associating the two, other than the presence of female vocals in both...
I enjoy the OK Goodnight album, but it just might be trying too hard to be "eclectic" for me (to be clear, probably not at all what the band is doing...just feels that way to my ears :)). Some parts I absolutely love, some not as much.
I've listened to the FITD album a half dozen times this week. I'm really enjoying it. The long instrumental passages are so enjoyable. The album works while driving, at work in the background, or sitting on my couch with headphones. It's one of those albums where I don't have to try and like...I just do.
Glad to see that the "too slow vibe" is not an issue anymore;) great album indeed!
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Other than Redemption and Riverside, I legit have not listened to a single one of these - and haven't even heard OF about 1/2 of them!
I was thinking the same when I saw the lists of ReaperKK en TAC list ;)
My list is indeed quite heavy this year with a lot of doom.
It probably shows the enormous amount of good music and the diversity of this forum.
Currently listening to the Hanging Garden album and I will pick some more albums out of their lists.
Great list, did you listen to the last Saturnus album? According to your taste I think you might enjoy it
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Marc ... If you dig that Eclipse and Cyhra album, try Creye / III:Weightless. Autumn's Child might float your boat too.
Did you check out Tygers of Pan Tang?
I heard the Cyhra album sucks so it got pushed to the bottom. I mostly forgot about Eclipse and haaven't heard anything. Not familiar with the others.
DGM comes out in November and I have high expectations on that making my list.
Same. Along with Angra.
Didn't realize their album was close to release, I'll have to check that out too then
Eclipse was unmemorable; Cyrha was not terrible.
Listened to the new Eclipse today, maybe 3 total listens and I'm not into it much at all. Definitely sounds very Eclipse, but the songs are just lacking the hooks that usually keep me coming back. There's like 2 songs that I enjoyed maybe and the rest was forgetable. That's unfortunate.
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Likely my Album of the Year:
Orbit Culture - Descent
Will definitely make the top 10:
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II)
Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes
Unitopia - Seven Chambers
Contenders for a spot in the top 10:
Dream The Electric Sleep - American Mystic
Southern Empire - Another World
RPWL - Crime Scene
Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
Haken - Fauna
OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
Riverside - ID.Entity
Advent Horizon - A Cell to Call Home
Soen - Memorial
Theocracy - Mosaic
Mystery - Redemption
Ice Age - Waves of Loss and Power
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Likely my Album of the Year:
Orbit Culture - Descent
Will definitely make the top 10:
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II)
Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes
Unitopia - Seven Chambers
Contenders for a spot in the top 10:
Dream The Electric Sleep - American Mystic
Southern Empire - Another World
RPWL - Crime Scene
Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
Haken - Fauna
OK Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
Riverside - ID.Entity
Advent Horizon - A Cell to Call Home
Soen - Memorial
Theocracy - Mosaic
Mystery - Redemption
Ice Age - Waves of Loss and Power
This is going to be very high on my list.
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Marc ... If you dig that Eclipse and Cyhra album, try Creye / III:Weightless. Autumn's Child might float your boat too.
Did you check out Tygers of Pan Tang?
I heard the Cyhra album sucks so it got pushed to the bottom. I mostly forgot about Eclipse and haaven't heard anything. Not familiar with the others.
DGM comes out in November and I have high expectations on that making my list.
Same. Along with Angra.
Didn't realize their album was close to release, I'll have to check that out too then
Eclipse was unmemorable; Cyrha was not terrible.
Listened to the new Eclipse today, maybe 3 total listens and I'm not into it much at all. Definitely sounds very Eclipse, but the songs are just lacking the hooks that usually keep me coming back. There's like 2 songs that I enjoyed maybe and the rest was forgetable. That's unfortunate.
Erik Martensson just one day years ago woke up and forgot how to write a good song. He was the best out there at one stage but after I think maybe Armageddonize everything was just rubbish.
Looks like though I haven't even listened to the last 3 Eclipse albums. Wowsers!
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Dude... given the way your tastes strayed away from even decent Melodic Rock, don't even bother. You wouldn't last 30 seconds with their drivel nowadays. I can barely stomach it.
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Dude... given the way your tastes strayed away from even decent Melodic Rock, don't even bother. You wouldn't last 30 seconds with their drivel nowadays. I can barely stomach it.
Yeah wow, noted. :lol
Wait.....is there such a thing as decent melodic rock these days?
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Dude... given the way your tastes strayed away from even decent Melodic Rock, don't even bother. You wouldn't last 30 seconds with their drivel nowadays. I can barely stomach it.
Yeah wow, noted. :lol
Wait.....is there such a thing as decent melodic rock these days?
If/when you host a roulette, it will be my pleasure to find one or two to prove it to you.
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Dude... given the way your tastes strayed away from even decent Melodic Rock, don't even bother. You wouldn't last 30 seconds with their drivel nowadays. I can barely stomach it.
Yeah wow, noted. :lol
Wait.....is there such a thing as decent melodic rock these days?
If/when you host a roulette, it will be my pleasure to find one or two to prove it to you.
:tup
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Current top 50. There's been a bit of movement since I last posted, and likely to be more before the year is out, with some albums still to rank...
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. Blink-182 - One More Time...
3. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
4. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
5. In Flames - Foregone
6. Ghost - Phantomime
7. Green Lung - The Heathen Land
8. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
9. Closure in Moscow - Soft Hell
10. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
11. Distant Worlds Orchestra - Distant Worlds VI: More Music From Final Fantasy
12. Enslaved - Heimdal
13. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
14. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
15. Random Hand - Random Hand
16. Haken - Fauna
17. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
18. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
19. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
20. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
21. Baroness - Stone
22. AVKRVST - The Approbation
23. Worm/Dream Unending - Starpath
24. Nospūn - Opus
25. Stortregn - Finitude
26. Mutoid Man - Mutants
27. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
28. Bear Ghost - Jiminy
29. Riskee and the Ridicule - Platinum Statue
30. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
31. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
32. Rannoch - Conflagrations
33. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
34. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - The Silver Cord
35. Gama Bomb - Bats
36. Messa - Live at Roadburn
37. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows
38. Drain - Living Proof
39. The Ocean - Holocene
40. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
41. Sarmat - Determined to Strike
42. Sigh - The Eastern Forces of Evil 2022 Live
43. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
44. Ulthar - Anthronomicon/Helionomicon
45. Ningen Isu - 色即是空
46. Blood Incantation - Luminescent Bridge
47. The Menzingers - Some of it Was True
48. The Hives - The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
49. Chris Creswell - The Stubbornness of the Young
50. Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
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My updated rankings since I gave a listen to all the top albums again this week, a couple shifts and additions, but nothing major: (from best to least best)
Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A dream
Delain - Dark Waters
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III - Downfall
Avatar - Dance Devil Dance
Voyager - Fearless in Love
Code Orange - The Above
Haken - Fauna
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
Rave the Reqviem - EX-EDEN
VV - Neon Noir
Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher
Kamelot - The Awakening
The Winery Dogs - III
Babymetal - The Other One
Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
Within Temptation - Bleed Out
AJR - The Maybe Man
Tesseract - War of Being
Metallica - 72 Seasons
In Flames - Forgone
Twilight Force - At the Heart of Wintervale
Eclipse - Megalomainum
Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
Steel Panther - On The Prowl
Still want to check these out:
Beartooth - The Surface - seeing them in Jan so this has the most urgency
Frozen Crown - Call of the North - seeing them in Sept at progpower so I really want to check it out, but maybe not before the end of the year
Eleine - We Shall Remain - seeing them in Sept at progpower so I really want to check it out, but maybe not before the end of the year
Angra - Cycles of Pain - seeing them in Sept at progpower so I really want to check it out, but maybe not before the end of the year
Cyhra - The Vertigo Trigger - I like them, but have little desire to check this out based on reviews and my limited time to invest in new music right now
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
1) Compass- A Silent Symphony.
2) Tanith- Voyage.
3) Lalu- The Fish Who Wanted To Be King.
4) Sky Empire - The Shifting Tectonic Plates Of Power - Part One.
5) Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit.
6) Temic- Terror Management Theory.
7) Nospūn- Opus.
8) Metallica- 72 Seasons.
9) A7X- Life Is But A Dream...
10) Earthside- Let The Truth Speak.
Edit: 11) Theocracy- Mosaic
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
1) Compass- A Silent Symphony.
2) Tanith- Voyage.
3) Lalu- The Fish Who Wanted To Be King.
4) Sky Empire - The Shifting Tectonic Plates Of Power - Part One.
5) Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit.
6) Temic- Terror Management Theory.
7) Nospūn- Opus.
8) Metallica- 72 Seasons.
9) A7X- Life Is But A Dream...
10) Earthside- Let The Truth Speak.
I should also check out Nospun and Earthside since I'll be seeing them as well next year.
As for so much new music. I saw Unleash the Archers make a post yesterday about their new album and they said that the label is still determining a release date because there's an expected 250 metal albums to be released next year. So you are right, the market is saturated.
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
1) Compass- A Silent Symphony.
2) Tanith- Voyage.
3) Lalu- The Fish Who Wanted To Be King.
4) Sky Empire - The Shifting Tectonic Plates Of Power - Part One.
5) Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit.
6) Temic- Terror Management Theory.
7) Nospūn- Opus.
8) Metallica- 72 Seasons.
9) A7X- Life Is But A Dream...
10) Earthside- Let The Truth Speak.
Great list dude, especially Tomb Mold, Lalu, Nospūn, A7X and Earthside (which is still growing on me).
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
1) Compass- A Silent Symphony.
2) Tanith- Voyage.
3) Lalu- The Fish Who Wanted To Be King.
4) Sky Empire - The Shifting Tectonic Plates Of Power - Part One.
5) Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit.
6) Temic- Terror Management Theory.
7) Nospūn- Opus.
8) Metallica- 72 Seasons.
9) A7X- Life Is But A Dream...
10) Earthside- Let The Truth Speak.
Great list dude, especially Tomb Mold, Lalu, Nospūn, A7X and Earthside (which is still growing on me).
Thanks Luke! Earthside is definitely a grower, so many layers involved. But when it clicks its hard to stop listening.
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
1) Compass- A Silent Symphony.
2) Tanith- Voyage.
3) Lalu- The Fish Who Wanted To Be King.
4) Sky Empire - The Shifting Tectonic Plates Of Power - Part One.
5) Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit.
6) Temic- Terror Management Theory.
7) Nospūn- Opus.
8) Metallica- 72 Seasons.
9) A7X- Life Is But A Dream...
10) Earthside- Let The Truth Speak.
Great list dude, especially Tomb Mold, Lalu, Nospūn, A7X and Earthside (which is still growing on me).
Thanks Luke! Earthside is definitely a grower, so many layers involved. But when it clicks its hard to stop listening.
I loved their debut, so even though nothing is sticking yet I'm going to.keep.going as I've no doubt it'll grab me soon.
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
As for so much new music. I saw Unleash the Archers make a post yesterday about their new album and they said that the label is still determining a release date because there's an expected 250 metal albums to be released next year. So you are right, the market is saturated.
It's way worse than that. That must be just major label releases. Metal-Archives typically catalogs about 10,000 new metal albums released each year. They do a yearly best of year poll, and last year they had 244 participants submitting 811 unique albums on their top 10 ballots. And that doesn't count the truckloads of "metal" that doesn't meet their standards for inclusion on the site (but tons of people would count as such).
For me it's just an issue of not having enough time to get to everything. Between picking stuff for roulettes, running my own for a good chunk of the year, my own personal projects, nostalgia listening, spending time with under-listened to artists, and checking out various older music as I come across it, there's only so much left for new albums and revisiting those, even with as much music as I listen to a day.
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
As for so much new music. I saw Unleash the Archers make a post yesterday about their new album and they said that the label is still determining a release date because there's an expected 250 metal albums to be released next year. So you are right, the market is saturated.
It's way worse than that. That must be just major label releases. Metal-Archives typically catalogs about 10,000 new metal albums released each year. They do a yearly best of year poll, and last year they had 244 participants submitting 811 unique albums on their top 10 ballots. And that doesn't count the truckloads of "metal" that doesn't meet their standards for inclusion on the site (but tons of people would count as such).
For me it's just an issue of not having enough time to get to everything. Between picking stuff for roulettes, running my own for a good chunk of the year, my own personal projects, nostalgia listening, spending time with under-listened to artists, and checking out various older music as I come across it, there's only so much left for new albums and revisiting those, even with as much music as I listen to a day.
Yeah, I assumed it was major label releases. There's almost an infinite amount of actual releases.
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A lot of good albums this year but personally as the year went on I can only say a handful of albums really stuck with me or hit hard. The market is so saturated and watered down that its just too much. I usually struggle to narrow it down to 10, not this year.
1) Compass- A Silent Symphony.
2) Tanith- Voyage.
3) Lalu- The Fish Who Wanted To Be King.
4) Sky Empire - The Shifting Tectonic Plates Of Power - Part One.
5) Tomb Mold- The Enduring Spirit.
6) Temic- Terror Management Theory.
7) Nospūn- Opus.
8) Metallica- 72 Seasons.
9) A7X- Life Is But A Dream...
10) Earthside- Let The Truth Speak.
Tanith's Voyage will be very high on my list too. A fantastic record, and one the biggest surprises of the year.
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Yup, another excellent album by them!
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I'm not even sure I could come up with 10 albums for this year.
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I actually have a ton this year...There are a few sure standouts, then many albums that might not be "for the ages", but that I really enjoyed.
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
I can totally relate to this and agree 100%.
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
I can totally relate to this and agree 100%.
Same... but I'm fucking addicted to exploring for new music. I think it's a disease :lol. Every year, I add 25 or so new releases to my iTunes library, and at least that many saved in Spotify. Then I'll invariably have another 5-10 older releases that I 'discover' as well.
I need help.
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
I can totally relate to this and agree 100%.
Same... but I'm fucking addicted to exploring for new music. I think it's a disease :lol. Every year, I add 25 or so new releases to my iTunes library, and at least that many saved in Spotify. Then I'll invariably have another 5-10 older releases that I 'discover' as well.
I need help.
Somehow I don't think so. ;D
50 across the year though seems pretty light though? I mean, I'd have at least checked out 20-30 myself.
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
I can totally relate to this and agree 100%.
Same... but I'm fucking addicted to exploring for new music. I think it's a disease :lol. Every year, I add 25 or so new releases to my iTunes library, and at least that many saved in Spotify. Then I'll invariably have another 5-10 older releases that I 'discover' as well.
I need help.
Somehow I don't think so. ;D
50 across the year though seems pretty light though? I mean, I'd have at least checked out 20-30 myself.
Oh... I've sampled about 170 - and that's JUST 2023 releases. Probably 250 in total.
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
I can totally relate to this and agree 100%.
Same... but I'm fucking addicted to exploring for new music. I think it's a disease :lol. Every year, I add 25 or so new releases to my iTunes library, and at least that many saved in Spotify. Then I'll invariably have another 5-10 older releases that I 'discover' as well.
I need help.
Somehow I don't think so. ;D
50 across the year though seems pretty light though? I mean, I'd have at least checked out 20-30 myself.
Oh... I've sampled about 170 - and that's JUST 2023 releases. Probably 250 in total.
Holy shit! Ah yeah, okay, I missed that saving them in your library would be different to sampling them.
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Some of them even have growls!
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I love checking out new bands and new releases from bands I already listen to as well as the classics but I've said this before, hypothetically if nothing new was ever released again I would be fine. I'm still enjoying the music I have plus I'm still discovering older releases that are new to me. The issue is with so much music coming out I find it tough not be picky and I'm quicker to move on from an album that may click with me if I give it more time because there's A shit ton to get to.
I can totally relate to this and agree 100%.
Same... but I'm fucking addicted to exploring for new music. I think it's a disease :lol. Every year, I add 25 or so new releases to my iTunes library, and at least that many saved in Spotify. Then I'll invariably have another 5-10 older releases that I 'discover' as well.
I need help.
I can relate to both of these comments so much! It's good we have somewhere to talk about our addictions.
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Some of them even have growls!
Sampled by accident doesn't count mate. :biggrin:
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Some of them even have growls!
Sampled by accident doesn't count mate. :biggrin:
I meant the ones I purchased/saved! Key word was "some".
Actually, "a few" would've been more accurate. :lol
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Some of them even have growls!
Sampled by accident doesn't count mate. :biggrin:
I meant the ones I purchased/saved! Key word was "some".
Actually, "a few" would've been more accurate. :lol
Oh wow, do share them please!
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Some of them even have growls!
Sampled by accident doesn't count mate. :biggrin:
I meant the ones I purchased/saved! Key word was "some".
Actually, "a few" would've been more accurate. :lol
Oh wow, do share them please!
WhatsApp'd them to you.
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i think the only outstanding release for me that might make a year end list is Moon Safari, but that is out in a week and I'm sure i'll have my list ready shortly after. I've basically got it done already but just holding it back to let Peter Gabriel - i/o soak a little more and let some last minute releases trickle in
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I just need a few more spins from the new Peter Gabriel album, then I should be all set to start making a list of 2023.
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i think the only outstanding release for me that might make a year end list is Moon Safari, but that is out in a week and I'm sure i'll have my list ready shortly after. I've basically got it done already but just holding it back to let Peter Gabriel - i/o soak a little more and let some last minute releases trickle in
Tried liking Moon Safari but the members previous band Kharma Cosmic is much better but only have a few demos to show for. I'll give them another spin.
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of course since i made that post i learned Elephant Gym was dropping a new album the week after, so might have to really hold my list back until near christmas at this rate :lol
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I'm not even sure I could come up with 10 albums for this year.
This is where I am. I have purchased a ton of music this year, but as for stuff released this year, I am struggling with a top 5. This year was clearly more about discovering stuff. I have a lot of stuff I have discovered and have listened to all of that way more than anything released this year. I have a top 2 for the year, but need to see if I can at least round out a top 5 like I usually do.
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I have a clear #1, enough for a good though not mindblowing next dozen or so with not a lot of differentiation, and then a morass of quality but not necessarily initially stellar albums that I'm unlikely to have the time or motivation to properly rank.
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This turned out to be a really active year for new music both from older artists and new artists that I’ve discovered. Had a top album in mind but the new Peter Gabriel could shake that up. Also waiting for Moon Safari, and there are a couple others I’m meaning to check out still.
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I will confess that I’ve heard very few new albums this last year, but I can say without hesitation that The Fox and the Bird by OK Goodnight is easily the best progressive metal album I’ve heard in a decade, so that’s a no brainer for me.
I’m pretty lukewarm on Riverside ID.Entity, but it has good moments.
Fauna by Haken is excellent and probably takes my #2 spot. But that OK Goodnight album beats it hands down. It’s been months and I’m still constantly spinning that album and getting goosebumps.
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my spreadsheet is nearing 300 2023 releases that i've heard, lots to choose from :D
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my spreadsheet is nearing 300 2023 releases that i've heard, lots to choose from :D
Man, and I thought *I* had a problem! :lol
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I had over 300 heard in full in '21 (with probably another hundred+ I'd heard at least a song from), a bit more than half that last year, and maybe half that this year at this point. So even in '21 that's less than an album a day, which is quite doable, it just means you're neglecting older music.
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The weird thing is after this past week which saw 4 new albums on my radar and likely the final new albums to come out in 2023 that I know about, I actually have just been able to hear another new album thanks to being contacted by the band that I might enjoy more than any of those 4 albums.
However, I just found out that it's not expected to drop until January or February of 2024.
So, at least I already have a leader in my 2024 Clubhouse ;D
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my spreadsheet is nearing 300 2023 releases that i've heard, lots to choose from :D
Man, and I thought *I* had a problem! :lol
it's a really bad problem lol.
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I will confess that I’ve heard very few new albums this last year, but I can say without hesitation that The Fox and the Bird by OK Goodnight is easily the best progressive metal album I’ve heard in a decade, so that’s a no brainer for me.
I’m pretty lukewarm on Riverside ID.Entity, but it has good moments.
Fauna by Haken is excellent and probably takes my #2 spot. But that OK Goodnight album beats it hands down. It’s been months and I’m still constantly spinning that album and getting goosebumps.
This being your favorite this year made me just check it out. Just wow man, loving this. Thank you!
"The Falcon" is incredible!
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I'm not even sure I could come up with 10 albums for this year.
Been thinking about this and I probably could easily do it. Just a lot of releases haven't really had the time or plays but strong enough to be included in a top 10. I'll have a crack soon.
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I'm not even sure I could come up with 10 albums for this year.
Been thinking about this and I probably could easily do it. Just a lot of releases haven't really had the time or plays but strong enough to be included in a top 10. I'll have a crack soon.
4 days can make all the difference in the world. :lol
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I'm not even sure I could come up with 10 albums for this year.
Been thinking about this and I probably could easily do it. Just a lot of releases haven't really had the time or plays but strong enough to be included in a top 10. I'll have a crack soon.
4 days can make all the difference in the world. :lol
I'm gaining back years in the matter of a week. :lol
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I can make a Top 10, but it will be harder to find a clear #1 standout this year. I don't think there's an album that stands above the rest like previous years for me.
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I can make a Top 10, but it will be harder to find a clear #1 standout this year. I don't think there's an album that stands above the rest like previous years for me.
Yeah, even if I wrote out my #1 multiple times this year, if I listen to the albums in my top 5, any one of them could be #1 really.
I also have been listening to the new Angra and it probably cracks in near #10 breaking my current rankings a bit.
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Barring any out-of-nowhere discoveries, this should be my final list:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal (black metal)
2: Sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction (shoegaze, emo)
3: death's dynamic shroud - Midnight Tangerine* (synthpop, art pop)
4: The Ocean - Holocene (progressive metal, post-metal)
5: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre (lol)
6: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: PetroDragonic Apocalypse (progressive metal, thrash metal)
7: Panopticon - The Rime Of Memory (atmospheric black metal)
8: KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER (synth funk, jazz)
9: Mutoid Man - Mutants (stoner metal)
10: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: The Silver Cord (extended version) (progressive electronic)
*This is a re-recording of an album from last year, but it's a considerable improvement and it rounds out my top 10 nicely, so I'm including it.
No EPs that particularly impressed me this year.
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Okay, I'll have a top 10 in the next day or so I reckon.....
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Barring any out-of-nowhere discoveries, this should be my final list:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal (black metal)
2: Sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction (shoegaze, emo)
3: death's dynamic shroud - Midnight Tangerine* (synthpop, art pop)
4: The Ocean - Holocene (progressive metal, post-metal)
5: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre (lol)
6: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: PetroDragonic Apocalypse (progressive metal, thrash metal)
7: Panopticon - The Rime Of Memory (atmospheric black metal)
8: KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER (synth funk, jazz)
9: Mutoid Man - Mutants (stoner metal)
10: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: The Silver Cord (extended version) (progressive electronic)
*This is a re-recording of an album from last year, but it's a considerable improvement and it rounds out my top 10 nicely, so I'm including it.
No EPs that particularly impressed me this year.
Nice list! Did you check out Head With Wings "Without Intervention" and OK Goodnight "The Fox and the Bird"?
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Nice list! Did you check out Head With Wings "Without Intervention" and OK Goodnight "The Fox and the Bird"?
Never heard of the first one. I listened to The Fox And The Bird once but I don't think I finished it, there were definitely parts of it I enjoyed but I don't remember the songwriting being as strong as I'd like. Might revisit at some point.
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Nice list! Did you check out Head With Wings "Without Intervention" and OK Goodnight "The Fox and the Bird"?
Never heard of the first one. I listened to The Fox And The Bird once but I don't think I finished it, there were definitely parts of it I enjoyed but I don't remember the songwriting being as strong as I'd like. Might revisit at some point.
The Fox and the Bird is most definitely an “entire album” experience. That’s actually what blew me away about it the most. I’m almost sure it was a “happy accident” but the album itself is a total work of art and I haven’t heard many new bands that write that way anymore.
EDIT - I will add to this that I’m actually maybe a bit skeptical they can repeat the success. I recall hearing the lead singer say in an interview that the level of emotional involvement in writing and conveying the story became exhausting and taxing to the point that it didn’t sound (to me) like she wanted to repeat that particular experience.
And don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish her to emotionally traumatize herself in order to create art for the rest of us to enjoy. But part of me wonders if it was that level of emotional involvement and connection that made the album work so well.
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Barring any out-of-nowhere discoveries, this should be my final list:
1: Kostnatění - Úpal (black metal)
2: Sadness / abriction - sadness // abriction (shoegaze, emo)
3: death's dynamic shroud - Midnight Tangerine* (synthpop, art pop)
4: The Ocean - Holocene (progressive metal, post-metal)
5: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre (lol)
6: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: PetroDragonic Apocalypse (progressive metal, thrash metal)
7: Panopticon - The Rime Of Memory (atmospheric black metal)
8: KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER (synth funk, jazz)
9: Mutoid Man - Mutants (stoner metal)
10: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: The Silver Cord (extended version) (progressive electronic)
*This is a re-recording of an album from last year, but it's a considerable improvement and it rounds out my top 10 nicely, so I'm including it.
No EPs that particularly impressed me this year.
The Silver Cord making the top 10, nice. No chance it is making my top 10 but glad you're digging it.
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And with this post, I am closing off 2023.
Got the DT Top 100 to work on, plus the next few weeks are going to be a bit involved.
1. Theocracy-Mosaic
2. Suotana-Ounas I
3. Fires In The Distance-Air Not Meant For Us
4. Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
5. Lovebites-Judgement Day
6. Tanith-Voyage
7. Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
8. Kalmah-s/t
9. Smoulder-Violent Creed Of Vengeance
10. Hanging Garden-The Garden
11. Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
12. Wings Of Steel-Gates Of Twilight
13. Leathurbitch-Shattered Vanity
14. Stortregn-Finitude
15. Horn-20
16. Blackscape-Suffocated By The Sun
17. Blackbraid-Blackbraid II
18. OK Goodnight-The Fox And The Bird
19. Inculter-Morbid Origin
20. Wytch Hazel-IV:Sacrament
21. Withering Scorn-Prophets Of Demise
22. Before The Dawn-Stormbringers
23. Witch Ripper-The Flight After The Fall
24. Air Raid-Fatal Encounter
25. Lumsk-Fremmade Toner
EP's
1. Hwaino-Ashes Of The World Tree
2. Celene-Forlorn Paradise
3. Armada North-Colossus
Instrumental
1. June 1974- Please Destroy Me
2. Paul Gilbert-The Dio Album
Live Releases
1. Motorhead- Live At The Montreaux Jazz Festival '07
2. Lovebites- Knocking At Heaven's Gate-Live In Tokyo 2023
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Need to check out that Lovebites album
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Here's my super pedestrian list of TOP 12 (hey, the year has 12 months!), in alphabetical order (* my TOP 5):
Angra - Cycles of Pain *
Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream *
Extreme - Six
Haken - Fauna *
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of *
Redemption - I Am the Storm
Riverside - ID.Entity *
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Stuart Hamm - Hold Fast
The Winery Dogs - III
Trevor Rabin - Rio
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Need to check out that Lovebites album
In the dead of night?
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I'm pretty sure I haven't even checked out 10 new albums that came out this year... But my top albums of the year:
1. Depeche Mode - Momento Mori; never thought I'd become a DM fan, but wife and daughter were going to see them live and I wanted to tag along. Prior to the concert I dug into their discography and really dug it. And it just so happens that their newest album happened to be the one I liked best. I've listened to this album so much in the past half year.
2. Redemption - I Am The Storm; one of my favorite bands and this album didn't disappoint. I listened to it a lot the first few months it was out, but haven't heard it again in a while. There are some really great songs on here though.
3. Neal Morse - Joseph pt 1; Neal's my fav musician of all time. This is a good album, but not my top album of the year. Not as good as his early solo career (Testimony, One, Sola Scriptura).
4. Theocracy - Mosaic; another one of my favorite bands. Good album. Although I admit when it came out I was so into other music that I really haven't listened to it that much (compared to their other albums). Red Sea is an amazing epic song.
5. Peter Gabriel - I/O; only listened to it a couple of times but really dig it. Not the biggest PG fan so it's safe to say this will probably remain at #5.
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My top 10:
TesseracT - War of Being -- Rating: 10/10
Haken - Fauna -- Rating: 9/10
Riverside - ID.Entity -- Rating: 8/10
Soen - Memorial -- Rating: 8.5/10
Ray Alder - III -- Rating: 7.5/10
The Ocean - Holocene -- Rating: 7/10
Metallica - 72 Seasons -- Rating: 7/10
Earthside - Let The Truth Speak -- Rating: 6/10
Avatar - Dance Devil Dance -- Rating: 6/10
Honorable Mentions:
Einar Solberg - 16
Theocracy - Mosaic
Nospūn - Opus
Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher
Paramore - This is Why
Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
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1. Sworn - A Journey Told Through Fire - Melodic black metal perfection. Blew me away and is still listened to every couple of days. One of the best albums I've heard in a long time. Clear number one, no competition.
2. Magnus Karlsson - Hunt the Flame - Wasn't sold on the initial singles but the album grew into an absolute monster. Any thought of Karlsson losing his touch puts that to bed here. Some of the most interesting and most mature songwriting from him in a long long time.
3. On Thorns I Lay - On Thorns I Lay - A new discovery but hit me right away. Brutal, melodic and beautiful with some wonderful instrumentation. Just an incredible, brooding heavy doom laden album.
4. Fire in the Distance - Air Not Meant For Us - Yet another late unexpected discovery. This just demands repeated listens. Atmospheric, unique, fresh, melodic, wonderful instrumental passages and just 50 minutes of joy to listen to. Love it.
5. Primal Fear - Code Red - Didn't expect this. I'd say this is the freshest I've heard PF since Delivering the Black. Nothing new but they sound quite reinvigorated and come up with some simple yet killer metal tunes. Really good album with lots of lasting ability, much more than the last few.
6. Morne - Engraved with Pain - Another band I knew nothing about I stumbled across. What an amazing sludge/doom album this is. I think I found this right when I needed it. The atmosphere is intense, monotonous but in a good way, dark, brutal, painful but the 40 minutes just flies by. What a great band. With more time, probably would crack the top 5.
7. UDO - Touchdown - UDO's late outputs I've always been a fan of. This is better than the last one. There's quite a bit of old school Accept vibes going on in some of these songs and there's a bit of variety across the album too. Dependable but lots to enjoy. Ripping guitar playing too.
8. Iron Savior - Firestar - Again, could be the most consistent IS album for a while. Lots of melody and big choruses here. Again, I've been a sucker for most things IS so this was always going to do well, but I think Piet stepped things back up with this one. There is some fresh power metal in here at times too.
9. Insomnium - Anno 1696 - No Heart Like A Grave and didn't quite have the lasting power as that one of Winters Gate, but still class Insomnium that did get a lot of listens from me early in the year. These guys have just become a class act. The little EP they did too is enjoyable to listen to along with the album.
10. Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream - Wasn't a fan of these guys as some may remember and sampled this thinking I'd clicked on the wrong album. Although with no preconceived ideas, this kept grabbing me and got a lot of listens. Really interesting, mature songwriting and not what I expected. Really good listen from start to finish and made me explore the older stuff a bit more.
Others that came pretty close;
Wings of Steel - Gates of Twilight
Hellripper - Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
Fifth Angel - When Angels Kill
Suotana-Ounas I
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Primal Fear ended up not making my cut this year as a purchase - I saved it to Spotify, but that usually means it will only get spun 3-4 more times, max. It was REALLY good, but just nothing terribly new from them. I find once bands get up into their 10th (ish) album, it's got to REALLY wow me or I just figure "why don't I just listen to any of their other albums instead?". I'm more keen to get something new from bands that still have a lot of creativity to give.
Now, with that said, I still bough the FreeFall album :lol. That fucking rocked.
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I had zero expectations for the PF. I guess like our DGM discussion, same deal, nothing new but I don't know this just felt while the same shit, kinda fresh and each song was really enjoyable.
Steelmelter! :lol :metal
Yeah, Magnus really knocked it out of the park with this one. Could be his best output since the first Freefall album.
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I need to put together my list too...hopefully in the next week or so...
And with this post, I am closing off 2023.
Got the DT Top 100 to work on, plus the next few weeks are going to be a bit involved.
1. Theocracy-Mosaic
2. Suotana-Ounas I
3. Fires In The Distance-Air Not Meant For Us
4. Sacred Outcry-Towers Of Gold
5. Lovebites-Judgement Day
6. Tanith-Voyage
7. Celestial Wizard-Winds Of The Cosmos
8. Kalmah-s/t
9. Smoulder-Violent Creed Of Vengeance
10. Hanging Garden-The Garden
11. Hellripper-Warlocks Grims & Withered Hags
12. Wings Of Steel-Gates Of Twilight
13. Leathurbitch-Shattered Vanity
14. Stortregn-Finitude
15. Horn-20
16. Blackscape-Suffocated By The Sun
17. Blackbraid-Blackbraid II
18. OK Goodnight-The Fox And The Bird
19. Inculter-Morbid Origin
20. Wytch Hazel-IV:Sacrament
21. Withering Scorn-Prophets Of Demise
22. Before The Dawn-Stormbringers
23. Witch Ripper-The Flight After The Fall
24. Air Raid-Fatal Encounter
25. Lumsk-Fremmade Toner
Cool list, Tim, I guess with some twists ;) The highest in your top 10 that I haven't checked out yet is Lovebites...I know they have some avid fans here on DTF, so I need to add them to my queue...
As I said before, I didn't think you would enjoy Stortregn this much. I LOVED their previous record, but this one hasn't won me over yet. But speaking of twists, great to see Inculter in there - it's a late one, for sure, but I'm liking it a ton too. Also cool to see Wytch Hazel and Witch Ripper.
1. Sworn - A Journey Told Through Fire - Melodic black metal perfection. Blew me away and is still listened to every couple of days. One of the best albums I've heard in a long time. Clear number one, no competition.
9. Insomnium - Anno 1696 - No Heart Like A Grave and didn't quite have the lasting power as that one of Winters Gate, but still class Insomnium that did get a lot of listens from me early in the year. These guys have just become a class act. The little EP they did too is enjoyable to listen to along with the album.
That Sworn album is indeed tasty - I need to spend more time with it, but there's some "ferociously beautiful" stuff in it. And Insomnium - another hit, for sure.
Honorable Mentions:
Paramore - This is Why
Nice! Really liked this one too.
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I had zero expectations for the PF. I guess like our DGM discussion, same deal, nothing new but I don't know this just felt while the same shit, kinda fresh and each song was really enjoyable.
Steelmelter! :lol :metal
Yeah, Magnus really knocked it out of the park with this one. Could be his best output since the first Freefall album.
No disagreement with any of this. I just had to make some hard decisions - as it was, I over-bought, and purchased 28 new releases this year (I try to limit myself to 25).
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To be honest, the only ones I've purchased from my list were the Primal Fear, UDO and Insomnium cause I saw them in store. Searching for a CD copy for the rest, even the Magnus Karlsson at a half decent price is near impossible.
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To be honest, the only ones I've purchased from my list were the Primal Fear, UDO and Insomnium cause I saw them in store. Searching for a CD copy for the rest, even the Magnus Karlsson at a half decent price is near impossible.
I was honestly trying to think of the last CD I bought - I think it was Distance Over Time.
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Oh wow, I've held out a damn long time then. :lol
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I bought plenty of CDs this year :)
I mean, I'm buying digital too (from Bandcamp when available) but, what can I say, I'm still a sucker for those little discs ;)
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I mean, I'm Magnus Karlssons biggest fan here and I feel kinda weird not having this one on CD but, when it comes to Frontiers, he's getting paid regardless, so is there much point. If he had a bandcamp I could buy it from, different story.
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Yeah, I mean, I'm not even sure how much longer I'll be buying physical. But, for now, it's still something I enjoy. It's obviously way less than it used to be.
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9. Insomnium - Anno 1696 - No Heart Like A Grave and didn't quite have the lasting power as that one of Winters Gate, but still class Insomnium that did get a lot of listens from me early in the year. These guys have just become a class act. The little EP they did too is enjoyable to listen to along with the album.
And Insomnium - another hit, for sure.
Just to add to this...I might even like Anno 1696 a wee bit more than Heart Like a Grave, actually. Regardless, once again, they didn't disappoint.
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9. Insomnium - Anno 1696 - No Heart Like A Grave and didn't quite have the lasting power as that one of Winters Gate, but still class Insomnium that did get a lot of listens from me early in the year. These guys have just become a class act. The little EP they did too is enjoyable to listen to along with the album.
And Insomnium - another hit, for sure.
Just to add to this...I might even like Anno 1696 a wee bit more than Heart Like a Grave, actually. Regardless, once again, they didn't disappoint.
Heart Like A Grave hit me at a certain time, but I can definitely see people liking the new one more.
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Updated upon year end re-listens
1 Riverside “ID.Entity” (9.5/10)
2 Redemption “I Am the Storm” (9/10)
3 Haken “Fauna” (9/10)
4 The Rolling Stones "Hackney Diamonds" (8.5/10)
5 Greta Van Fleet "Starcatcher" (8/10)
6 Dirty Honey "Can't Find the Breaks" (8/10)
7 Metallica “72 Seasons” (8/10)
8 Extreme “SIX” (7.5/10)
9 Winery Dogs “III” (7.5/10)
10 Godsmack “Lighting Up the Sky” (7.5/.10)
Honorable mentions:
11 Buckcherry “Vol. 10” (7/10)
12 Mammoth WVH "II" (7/10)
13 Avatar "Dance Devil Dance" (6.5/10)
14 Angel “Once Upon a Time” (6.5/10)
15 Kamelot “The Awakening” (6.5/10)
16 Jethro Tull “RokFlote” (6/10)
17 The Answer “Sundowners” (6/10)
18 Black Star Riders “Wrong Side of Paradise” (6/10)
19 Uriah Heep “Chaos & Color” (6/10)
At least 20-25 albums I thoroughly DISLIKED in '23! :tdwn Hoping for a better '24! :metal
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19 Uriah Heep “Chaos & Color” (6/10)
I totally forgot about this one. I listened to it a few times when it came out. I really enjoy the latter day Uriah Heep, ever since Bernie Shaw joined.
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To be honest, the only ones I've purchased from my list were the Primal Fear, UDO and Insomnium cause I saw them in store. Searching for a CD copy for the rest, even the Magnus Karlsson at a half decent price is near impossible.
I was honestly trying to think of the last CD I bought - I think it was Distance Over Time.
I just bought the new Alta Reign cd. The bonus track was not available digitally so I bought it.
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My Top 10 favourite albums in no particular order, except Foo Fighters being my #1 of the year
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Council Skies
Haken - Fauna
The Coral - Sea Of Mirrors
The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds
Big Big Train - Ingenious Devices
Peter Gabriel - i/o
Depeche Mode - Memento Mori
The Flower Kings - Look At You Now
Riverside - ID.Entity
Foo Fighters delivered one of the most emotionally loaded albums I've heard, with lyrics dripping with pain, loss, heartache, acceptance, and finally "moving on" (losing both Taylor Hawkins and Dave's mother Virginia last year).
Honorable mentions:
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Ghost - Phantomime EP
Graham Nash - Now
Yes - Mirror To The Sky
Blur - The Ballad of Darren
Alice Cooper - Road
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Pattern-Seeking Animals - Spooky Action At A Distance
D'Virgilio, Morse & Jennings - Sophomore
_________________________________
Some standout songs from this year:
The Beatles - Now And Then
Might be my Song of the Year from my #1 band ever. As a pure song it's nothing amazing, but more what it represents and the context surrounding it. It being the last (?) Beatles song we'll ever get with all four of them playing.
Noel Gallagher - Dead To The World
I've been an Oasis fan since around 1995, and Noel's one of my favourite songwriters ever. With this song he delivers a sweeping string-laden ballad with beautiful melodies.
Riverside - Friend Or Foe?
Released very early in the year, this is an uptemo and snappy song, with great production. The whole album is great, but this is the standout track for me (Landmine Blast is great too).
Haken - Elephants Never Forget
A big prog epic from the British progmetal band. It starts off with a Gentle Giant section, and then takes us through a musical tour de force. And a catchy chorus too ("I remember, I remember another way...").
Blur - Barbaric
The former Britpop outfit Blur released a somber and melancholy album this year, but Barbaric has an uplifting feel - especially the chorus. The actual album didn't make my Top 10 though.
Rolling Stones - Whole Wide World
One of my favourite bands growing up released their first studio album since 2005. This one is my favourite from that album, a poppy kind of song with a great chorus.
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To be honest, the only ones I've purchased from my list were the Primal Fear, UDO and Insomnium cause I saw them in store. Searching for a CD copy for the rest, even the Magnus Karlsson at a half decent price is near impossible.
I was honestly trying to think of the last CD I bought - I think it was Distance Over Time.
I just bought the new Alta Reign cd. The bonus track was not available digitally so I bought it.
I still buy CDs for the purpose of bringing them to ProgPower to get signed :biggrin:
But seriously, that's really it. If I didn't ahve that opportunity at the meet and greets, I would just stick wtih digital downloads.
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To be honest, the only ones I've purchased from my list were the Primal Fear, UDO and Insomnium cause I saw them in store. Searching for a CD copy for the rest, even the Magnus Karlsson at a half decent price is near impossible.
I was honestly trying to think of the last CD I bought - I think it was Distance Over Time.
I just bought the new Alta Reign cd. The bonus track was not available digitally so I bought it.
I still buy CDs for the purpose of bringing them to ProgPower to get signed :biggrin:
But seriously, that's really it. If I didn't ahve that opportunity at the meet and greets, I would just stick wtih digital downloads.
Yeah, I bought a bunch of CDs in 2018, but that would've been pre-DoT.
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a round table discussion for my YouTube channel is in the works...ETA sometime around X-Mas.
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To be honest, the only ones I've purchased from my list were the Primal Fear, UDO and Insomnium cause I saw them in store. Searching for a CD copy for the rest, even the Magnus Karlsson at a half decent price is near impossible.
I was honestly trying to think of the last CD I bought - I think it was Distance Over Time.
I just bought the new Alta Reign cd. The bonus track was not available digitally so I bought it.
I still buy CDs for the purpose of bringing them to ProgPower to get signed :biggrin:
But seriously, that's really it. If I didn't ahve that opportunity at the meet and greets, I would just stick wtih digital downloads.
Only Myrath. :biggrin:
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Alright, there are no more albums I'm anticipating this year so let's give this a go.
1. Haken - Fauna
2. Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2
3. Bear Ghost - Jiminy
4. Gacharic Spin - W
5. Stortregn - Finitude
6. Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden
7. Insomnium - Anno 1696
8. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
9. Keep of Kalessin - Katharsis
10. Lumsk - Fremmede toner
11. Nospūn - Opus
12. Marianas Rest - Auer
13. Arkona - Kob'
14. Vylet Pony - Carousel
15. Jason Isbell - Weathervanes
16. Ad Infinitum - Chapter III: Downfall
17. Hypno5e - Sheol
18. Nuclear Power Trio - Wet Ass Plutonium
19. Primordial - How It Ends
20. GoGo Penguin - Everything Is Going to Be OK
Honourable mentions
LPs:
Aetherian - At Storm's Edge
Anima Tempo - Chaos Paradox
Arch Echo - Final Pitch
Baroness - STONE
Beyond the Black - Beyond the Black
BT - The Secret Language of Trees
The Cat Empire - Where the Angels Fall
Closure in Moscow - Soft Hell
The Dark Side of the Moon - Metamorphosis
Dream the Electric Sleep - American Mystic
Earthside - Let the Truth Speak
Enslaved - Heimdal
Edu Falaschi - Eldorado
Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant for Us
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Gunship - Unicorn
Hanabie. - Reborn Superstar!
The Hirsch Effekt - Urian
Hundred Reasons - Glorious Sunset
In Flames - Foregone
Insomnium - Songs of the Dusk
The Intersphere - Wanderer
Floor Jansen - Paragon
Kalmah - Kalmah
Kamelot - The Awakening
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Lovebites - Judgement Day
Mercenary - Soundtrack for the End Times
Mystery - Redemption
The Ocean - Holocene
Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
The Ongoing Concept - Again
Pyramaze - Bloodlines
Saiseiga - Nostalgia
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
Shade Empire - Sunholy
Shylmagoghnar - Convergence
Silent Skies - Dormant
Slow Fall - Obsidian Waves
Soen - Memorial
Einar Solberg - 16
Southern Empire - Another World
Subsignal - A Poetry of Rain
Susanne Sundfør - Blómi
Suotana - Ounas I
Tardigrade Inferno - Burn the Circus!
Teramaze - Dalla Volta
TesseracT - War of Being
VNV Nation - Electric Sun
Voyager - Fearless in Love
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Within Temptation - Bleed Out
The World Is Quiet Here - Zon
EPs:
Dissona - Dreadfully Distinct EP
Feed Me - Feed Me From the Clouds EP
Manchester Orchestra - The Valley of Vision EP
Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear EP
Tardigrade Inferno - Arrival of a Train EP
Toehider - Quit Forever? EP
Toehider - Snapshots From Beacontown Spring Dance '85 EP
Toehider - Take on a Tank EP
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this is not really finalized by any means but if i must
1. Victory Over the Sun - Dance You Monster to My Soft Song!
2. Dreamwell - In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You
3. Vylet Pony - Carousel (An Examination of the Shadow, Creekflow, and its Life as an Afterthought)
4. Spanish Love Songs - No Joy
5. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
6. Fleshvessel - Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed
7. Esoctrilihum - Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac
8. Gunship - Unicorn
9. Liturgy - 93696
10. Dispirited Spirits - The Redshift Blues
i still have a decent number of albums i need to properly spin/get more solidified thoughts on but this is an alright preliminary top 10? only really the top 5 i'd say are locked for my final top 10 idk
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Great list Rich. These in particular are really tasty, and most will make my top 50...
Alright, there are no more albums I'm anticipating this year so let's give this a go.
1. Haken - Fauna
3. Bear Ghost - Jiminy
5. Stortregn - Finitude
8. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
11. Nospūn - Opus
18. Nuclear Power Trio - Wet Ass Plutonium
Honourable mentions
LPs:
Baroness - STONE
Closure in Moscow - Soft Hell
Earthside - Let the Truth Speak
Enslaved - Heimdal
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
The Hirsch Effekt - Urian
In Flames - Foregone
Insomnium - Songs of the Dusk
The Ocean - Holocene
Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
The Ongoing Concept - Again
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
Soen - Memorial
Southern Empire - Another World
Suotana - Ounas I
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
The World Is Quiet Here - Zon
EPs:
Dissona - Dreadfully Distinct EP
Toehider - Quit Forever? EP
Toehider - Snapshots From Beacontown Spring Dance '85 EP
Toehider - Take on a Tank EP
Real good stuff.
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Ariich.... I'm loving Himlabacken Vol. 2, but man alive - it hasn't even been out a week, and you've got it at #2?!?!?
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8. Gunship - Unicorn
Is this better than their first two albums or nah?
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it's still a bit too long but it's not just a retread of their debut like dark all day felt, there's both some harsher tones and a lot of brighter ones here too so it at least tends to stay interesting (the middle drags a bit tho ig)
don't think there's a single song here as good as dark all day (or tech noir for that matter) but
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Ariich.... I'm loving Himlabacken Vol. 2, but man alive - it hasn't even been out a week, and you've got it at #2?!?!?
:lol Yeah I know but honestly, yeah I think so. It'll be interesting to revisit this in a couple of months. But despite having a LOT of music to listen to right now (thanks to you and the 23 players in my last roulette), I keep returning to it over and over, same as I did with the rest of the top 4. So even if it doesn't end up staying at #2 I'm damn confident it's top 4.
EDIT: Oh and hell yeah Luke!
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9. Keep of Kalessin - Katharsis
Haha, awesome! :metal
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it's still a bit too long but it's not just a retread of their debut like dark all day felt, there's both some harsher tones and a lot of brighter ones here too so it at least tends to stay interesting (the middle drags a bit tho ig)
don't think there's a single song here as good as dark all day (or tech noir for that matter) but
I agree, definitely too long but it's really good and a little more varied than the previous albums. Didn't quite make my top 20 but it was close.
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9. Keep of Kalessin - Katharsis
Haha, awesome! :metal
Yes mate. :metal
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it's still a bit too long but it's not just a retread of their debut like dark all day felt, there's both some harsher tones and a lot of brighter ones here too so it at least tends to stay interesting (the middle drags a bit tho ig)
don't think there's a single song here as good as dark all day (or tech noir for that matter) but
The new Gunship is VERY good. It threatens to be my favorite of the three, actually. I agree it's a bit long, but it's a real fun, engaging listen all along.
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4. Spanish Love Songs - No Joy
Enjoyed this one very much too.
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don't think there's a single song here as good as dark all day (or tech noir for that matter) but
That's an insanely high bar to clear though. "Empress of the Damned" is my favorite on it and that isn't likely to change.
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My top 10 in no particular order. Nothing really jumped out at me this year as being super fantastic to be honest.
Haken - Fauna
Manchester Orchestra - The Valley of Vision
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
Baroness - Stone
Closure in Moscow - Soft Hell
Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows
Dozer - Drifting in the Endless Void
Portugal. The Man - Chris Black Saved My Life
Soen - Memorial
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My ranking of the eleven 2023 releases I bought this year:
1. Another World - Southern Empire
2. The Harmony Codex - Steven Wilson
3. Fauna - Haken
4. Himlabacken Vol. 2 - Moon Safari
5. Seven Chambers - Unitopia
6. ID.Entity - Riverside
7. Look At You Now - The Flower Kings
8. Redemption - Mystery
9. Spooky Action at a Distance - Pattern-Seeking Animals
10. Let the Truth Speak - Earthside
11. Making Shore - Damanek
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I haven't finished my final rankings, so in alphabetical order (with the bolded as particular standouts):
Aviations - Luminaria
Crown Lands - Fearless
DGM - Life
Edge of Forever - Ritual
Eldritch - Innervoid
Fifth Angel - When Angels Kill
Hemina - Romancing the Ether
Kamelot - The Awakening
Lovebites - Judgement Day
Magnus Karlsson's FreeFall - Hunt the Flame
Marek Arnold's Artrock Project - same
Mercenary - Soundtrack for the End Times
Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2
Mostly Autumn - Studio 2
Mystery - Redemption
Nergard - Live in Kalvaa
Noveria - Gates of the Underworld
Nuclear Power Trio - Wet Ass Plutonium
Pyramaze - Bloodlines
Ray Alder - II
Redemption - I Am The Storm
Rik Emmett - Then Again …
Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold
Sarayasign - The Lion's Road
Seven Ravens - After the Storm
Signum Regis - Undivided
Smackbound - Hostage
Southern Empire - Another World
Temic - Terror Management Theory
The Tiberian Sons - Anthems of Liberation
Theocracy - Mosaic
Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
Plus I've got 41 albums I saved on Spotify. It's been a good year of music.
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My top 10 in no particular order. Nothing really jumped out at me this year as being super fantastic to be honest.
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
I need to give this a spin, I liked the first record.
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My final list of the year, some really good stuff.
1 KOAN Sound - Led By Ancient Light - 5/5
2. Post Malone - Austin - 5/5
3. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Our Friends Are Vampires - 5/5
4. The Chug Project - The Chug Project, Vol, 1 - 4.5/5
5. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are 4.5/5
6. Jakub Zytecki - Remind Me - 4/5
7. Fractures - Shift - 3.5/5
8. Metallica - 72 Seasons - 3.5/5
9. Balmorhea - Pendant World - 3/5
10. Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View - 3/5
11. Skrillex - Quest for Fire - 3/5
12. Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun - 2.5/5
13. Candlebox - The Long Goodbye - 2.5/5
14. Gorillaz - Cracker Island - 2.5/5
15. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Weathervanes - 2.5/5
16. TEMIC - Terror Management Theory - 2.5/5
17. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex - 2.5/5
18. Filter - The Algorithm - 2/5
19. Grails - ANches En Maat - 2/5
20. Haken - Fauna - 2/5
21. The Wineary Dogs - III - 2/5
22. Joe Hiaishi - A Symphonic Celebration: Music From The Studio Ghibli Films Of Hayao Miyzaki - 2/5
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This might be the weakest year for me in over a decade. Sure there's been some good albums but only 3 albums I rated 4.5 on RYM and I would say 2 of them are by bands that have made better albums before this, so we're not really talking "groundbreaking classic" levels. There's a bunch of albums around my top20/top10 that wouldn't make my top30 on a normal good year.
Still have a little bit of finalizing left but will get to it soon.
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It's been the strongest year ever for me in terms of album purchases from a year in that year.
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My top 10 in no particular order. Nothing really jumped out at me this year as being super fantastic to be honest.
Mammoth WVH - Mammoth II
I need to give this a spin, I liked the first record.
I thought it was very good. I liked the first album too, and I think this is better. It's not like he's reinventing the wheel or anything, but I found the songwriting a little more adventurous and refreshing.
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I haven't finished my final rankings, so in alphabetical order (with the bolded as particular standouts):
Aviations - Luminaria
Crown Lands - Fearless
DGM - Life
Edge of Forever - Ritual
Eldritch - Innervoid
Fifth Angel - When Angels Kill
Hemina - Romancing the Ether
Kamelot - The Awakening
Lovebites - Judgement Day
Magnus Karlsson's FreeFall - Hunt the Flame
Marek Arnold's Artrock Project - same
Mercenary - Soundtrack for the End Times
Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2
Mostly Autumn - Studio 2
Mystery - Redemption
Nergard - Live in Kalvaa
Noveria - Gates of the Underworld
Nuclear Power Trio - Wet Ass Plutonium
Pyramaze - Bloodlines
Ray Alder - II
Redemption - I Am The Storm
Rik Emmett - Then Again …
Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold
Sarayasign - The Lion's Road
Seven Ravens - After the Storm
Signum Regis - Undivided
Smackbound - Hostage
Southern Empire - Another World
Temic - Terror Management Theory
The Tiberian Sons - Anthems of Liberation
Theocracy - Mosaic
Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
Plus I've got 41 albums I saved on Spotify. It's been a good year of music.
Aviations description please?
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I’ll try a top 25:
1. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
2. Haken - Fauna
3. PinkPantheress - Heaven Knows
4. Peter Gabriel - i/o
5. Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream...
6. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death
7. Ad Infinitum - Chapter III: Downfall
8. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
9. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre
10. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab
11. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
12. King Krule - Space Heavy
13. Paramore - This Is Why
14. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time
15. Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS
16. Sigur Rós - ÁTTA
17. Karkwa - Dans la seconde
18. Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman...
19. King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
20. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
21. Nickel Creek - Celebrants
22. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific
23. TesseracT - War of Being
24. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
25. The National - First Two Pages of Frankenstein/Laugh Track
I kept remembering great albums while making the list so the order is all wrong…
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Actually was able to come up with 10 that I thought highly enough to rate. I have close to 60 releases from this year.
1- Phantom Elite - Blue Blood
This was a very recent decision. My #2 album had been #1 almost all year but after reflection, this one wins out. I listened to this record probably the most of all 2023 albums. Marina was just fantastic on this record and I loved the whole thing from start to finish.
2- Riverside - ID.Entity
My #1 until about 2 weeks ago when I really started thinking about this. Absolutely love this album.
3- Empire State Bastard - Rivers Of Heresy
Brutal record that I was unsure about until I had it in my hands. Totally brutal and just excellent. Another drum clinic from the master, Lombardo.
4- Periphery - P4
Aside from the absolutely dumb false ending things that they do between most of the tracks, I loved this album. For me, the best since Juggernaut Omega.
5- Lacey Sturm - Kenotic Metanoia
6- District 97 - Stay For The Ending
7- Xandria - The Wonders Still Awaiting
8- Butcher Babies - Eye For An Eye...'Til The World's Blind
9- Archon Angel - II
10- KK's Priest - The Sinner Rides Again
Biggest Disappointments - Haken, Avenged Sevenfold
The Haken record was just a mess to me. I struggled to find anything to latch onto. Avenged, I'm still struggling with it. Nothing against what they did, I just am having issues getting attached to it in any way.
Another great year of new finds for me. The first 4 bands got way more listens than most of the albums above:
IQ, Wucan, KXM, Faith In Agony, Special Providence, Outrun The Sunlight, Intervals
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@ Tom…. A Proggy and heavy and diverse version of 70s Styx. There’s even a few growls splashed in there.
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The lack of Orbit Culture on some of these lists is concerning. I don’t expect the no growl crowd to like, but people who have bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Scar Symmetry, and Enslaved.
Come to think of it I’m not seeing a lot of those bands either. Either this place got soft or I’m on musical viagra.
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@ Tom…. A Proggy and heavy and diverse version of 70s Styx. There’s even a few growls splashed in there.
What album are you talking about, Chad?
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The lack of Orbit Culture on some of these lists is concerning. I don’t expect the no growl crowd to like, but people who have bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Scar Symmetry, and Enslaved.
Come to think of it I’m not seeing a lot of those bands either. Either this place got soft or I’m on musical viagra.
Its indeed a very good album, not sure if it will make my top10 though because their were a lot of great album this year.
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@ Tom…. A Proggy and heavy and diverse version of 70s Styx. There’s even a few growls splashed in there.
What album are you talking about, Chad?
Aviations description please?
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The lack of Orbit Culture on some of these lists is concerning. I don’t expect the no growl crowd to like, but people who have bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Scar Symmetry, and Enslaved.
Come to think of it I’m not seeing a lot of those bands either. Either this place got soft or I’m on musical viagra.
I didn't listen to their new album. I did see them open for Avatar earlier this year and enjoyed them though.
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I think the only ones I can rank clearly are as follows:
1. Voyager - Fearless in Love
2. Tesseract - War of Being
3. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
4. Peter Gabriel - I/O
Then there's everything else in no particular order:
Haken - Fauna
Periphery - Djent is not a Genre
hubris. - The One Above
Night Verses - Every Sound Has a Color In The Valley Of Night, Part One
Trevor Rabin - Rio
Carbon Based Lifeforms - Seeker
Rannoch - Conflagrations
The Intersphere - Wanderer
Kanoo - Deleted Years
The Ocean - Holocene
Sermon - Of Golden Verse
The Enigma Division - The Enigma Division
Jeff - Tar
Arhios - Miscible
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Here are my top 25 favorite albums released in 2023 (in no particular order).
(https://i.imgur.com/AubMXMt.jpg)
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Alright, there are no more albums I'm anticipating this year so let's give this a go.
1. Haken - Fauna
2. Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2
3. Bear Ghost - Jiminy
4. Gacharic Spin - W
5. Stortregn - Finitude
6. Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden
7. Insomnium - Anno 1696
8. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
9. Keep of Kalessin - Katharsis
10. Lumsk - Fremmede toner
11. Nospūn - Opus
12. Marianas Rest - Auer
13. Arkona - Kob'
14. Vylet Pony - Carousel
15. Jason Isbell - Weathervanes
16. Ad Infinitum - Chapter III: Downfall
17. Hypno5e - Sheol
18. Nuclear Power Trio - Wet Ass Plutonium
19. Primordial - How It Ends
20. GoGo Penguin - Everything Is Going to Be OK
I really wish I could bump this up higher on my final list, but I can't push it above OK Goodnight or Tesseract. It does have my favorite song in Replica, and four of the songs (Kachi Kachi Yama, Lonely Mart, and Rabbit Hole) would easily make my top 20. It might top their self titled as my favorite of theirs, just a great album.
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The lack of Orbit Culture on some of these lists is concerning.
There will definitely be a number of growl-heavy albums on my own list once I finish sorting it out. I've heard some of their earlier releases and enjoyed them, but didn't find them to really set themselves apart from broadly similar artists. I might give their current one a try though.
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I really wish I could bump this up higher on my final list, but I can't push it above OK Goodnight or Tesseract. It does have my favorite song in Replica, and four of the songs (Kachi Kachi Yama, Lonely Mart, and Rabbit Hole) would easily make my top 20. It might top their self titled as my favorite of theirs, just a great album.
It's so great. Doesn't quite top Music Battler or Kakuhen (their golden era for me), but I think it's the next best after those.
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The lack of Orbit Culture on some of these lists is concerning. I don’t expect the no growl crowd to like, but people who have bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Scar Symmetry, and Enslaved.
Come to think of it I’m not seeing a lot of those bands either. Either this place got soft or I’m on musical viagra.
The new Scar Symmetry is damn soft if you ask me. ;D I didn't like it, even trying it a few times.
Orbit Culture I actually haven't listened to, but I will. I like the last one a lot but find their sound pretty one dimensional and the singles I heard from the new one didn't do much for me.
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@ Tom…. A Proggy and heavy and diverse version of 70s Styx. There’s even a few growls splashed in there.
Thanks Chad, I checked it out and I think its excellent! Thank you! :metal
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The Haken record was just a mess to me. I struggled to find anything to latch onto. Avenged, I'm still struggling with it. Nothing against what they did, I just am having issues getting attached to it in any way.
I barely know Haken songs, about 2-3 from roulettes, but give Sempiternal Beings a few extra listens. That song is incredible. It feels like a song that might grab a listener with a few extra listens.
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The lack of Orbit Culture on some of these lists is concerning. I don’t expect the no growl crowd to like, but people who have bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Scar Symmetry, and Enslaved.
Come to think of it I’m not seeing a lot of those bands either. Either this place got soft or I’m on musical viagra.
The new Scar Symmetry is damn soft if you ask me. ;D I didn't like it, even trying it a few times.
I'm not as intimately familiar with the last few, but from what I recall the latest is more technical and darker than previous ones (including blast beats on multiple tracks), so this doesn't really make sense to me.
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I will confess that I’ve heard very few new albums this last year, but I can say without hesitation that The Fox and the Bird by OK Goodnight is easily the best progressive metal album I’ve heard in a decade, so that’s a no brainer for me.
I’m pretty lukewarm on Riverside ID.Entity, but it has good moments.
Fauna by Haken is excellent and probably takes my #2 spot. But that OK Goodnight album beats it hands down. It’s been months and I’m still constantly spinning that album and getting goosebumps.
Bolded for emphasis, I completely agree. I might not have any of their songs on my top list, but The Fox and the Bird as a whole? Perfect album.
A few other good contributors this year, but not as whole albums. OK Goodnight just delivered, and will be remembered years on I think.
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Either this place got soft or I’m on musical viagra.
i'm too far gone. i'm only interested in metal if it's heavier than that. victory over the sun, for example :P
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here is my list for 2023
1 Sufjan Stevens - Javelin (Indie)
2 Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Art Pop)
3 Kara Jackson - Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love? (Folk/Art)
4 Romy - Mid Air (Electronic)
5 Hiromi - Sonicwonderland (Jazz/Experimental)
6 Peter Gabriel - i/o (Art Pop)
7 Frankie & The Witch Fingers - Data Doom (Psych)
8 Swans - The Beggar (Experimental/Noise/Post Rock)
9 Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good! (Pop/Dance)
10 Joy Oladokun - Proof Of Life (Alternative)
11 Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We (Art Pop)
12 OK Goodnight - The Fox And The Bird (Progressive Rock/Metal)
13 Elephant Gym - World (Experimental/Math Rock)
14 Baroness - STONE (Metal)
15 100 gecs - 10,000 gecs (Experimental)
16 Iguana Death Cult - Echo Palace (Psych)
17 Moon Safari - Himlabacker Vol. 2 (Progressive Rock)
18 Dinner Party - Enigmatic Society (Hip Hop/Jazz)
19 Thee Oh Sees - Intercepted Message (Psych)
20 Origami Angel - The Brightest Days (Post-Hardcore)
21 Satoshi Suzuki - Distant Travel Companion (City Pop)
22 Model/Actriz - Dogsbody (Post-Hardcore)
23 Damien Jurado - Motorcycle Madness (Indie)
24 King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse (Progressive Metal)
25 Jack 'O The Clock - The Warm, Dark Circus (Progressive Rock)
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So you CAN use the caps key!
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BUDDY HAD BEEN BORROWING IT RECENTLY.
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So you CAN use the caps key!
of course i can
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So you CAN use the caps key!
of course i can but only once a year
;D
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a round table discussion for my YouTube channel is in the works...ETA sometime around X-Mas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukD3ppbCFk
Epic 90 minute Roundtable discussion podcast with a few others on YouTube (also including 2024 albums to look forward to towards the end)
I went last so my top 5 are at a litte after 49 mnutes
1a. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
1b. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
3. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
4. Giant Sky - Giant Sky II
5. Team Me - Return to the Riverside
gonna follow-up with an Honorable Mentions list soon.
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a round table discussion for my YouTube channel is in the works...ETA sometime around X-Mas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukD3ppbCFk
Epic 90 minute Roundtable discussion podcast with a few others on YouTube (also including 2024 albums to look forward to towards the end)
I went last so my top 5 are at a litte after 49 mnutes
1a. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
1b. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
3. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
4. Giant Sky - Giant Sky II
5. Team Me - Return to the Riverside
gonna follow-up with an Honorable Mentions list soon.
Do you have these videos in audio form on podcast feeds?
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a round table discussion for my YouTube channel is in the works...ETA sometime around X-Mas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukD3ppbCFk
Epic 90 minute Roundtable discussion podcast with a few others on YouTube (also including 2024 albums to look forward to towards the end)
I went last so my top 5 are at a litte after 49 mnutes
1a. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
1b. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
3. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
4. Giant Sky - Giant Sky II
5. Team Me - Return to the Riverside
gonna follow-up with an Honorable Mentions list soon.
Do you have these videos in audio form on podcast feeds?
I don't, although I do have the files. It was recorded on Zoom, which the free version is limited to 45 minutes per session, so we did 3 sessions and I combined them together.
But when you record in Zoom, you get both a Video and Audio File, so I have the 3 audio files still.
I could send them to you via email or a link if you want.
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a round table discussion for my YouTube channel is in the works...ETA sometime around X-Mas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukD3ppbCFk
Epic 90 minute Roundtable discussion podcast with a few others on YouTube (also including 2024 albums to look forward to towards the end)
I went last so my top 5 are at a litte after 49 mnutes
1a. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
1b. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
3. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
4. Giant Sky - Giant Sky II
5. Team Me - Return to the Riverside
gonna follow-up with an Honorable Mentions list soon.
I'm about halfway through it. You should definitely try and have those guys or others on more often for other topics, there aren't nearly enough music roundtable discussions on Youtube.
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a round table discussion for my YouTube channel is in the works...ETA sometime around X-Mas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukD3ppbCFk
Epic 90 minute Roundtable discussion podcast with a few others on YouTube (also including 2024 albums to look forward to towards the end)
I went last so my top 5 are at a litte after 49 mnutes
1a. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
1b. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
3. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
4. Giant Sky - Giant Sky II
5. Team Me - Return to the Riverside
gonna follow-up with an Honorable Mentions list soon.
I'm about halfway through it. You should definitely try and have those guys or others on more often for other topics, there aren't nearly enough music roundtable discussions on Youtube.
I think you're being serious (there are people who do them often like Sea of Tranquility or Notesreviews; although many don't who probably could do them).
We want to, or actuallly have wanted to for a few years, but it often comes down to scheduling. But if the timing works, we are going to try and do more of these soon. Maybe 1 every few months even.
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1. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse or Dawn of Eternal Night an Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
2. Swans - The Beggar
3. Damien Jurado - Motorcycle Madness
4. Origami Angel - The Brightest Days
5. Spotlights - Alchemy For the Dead
6. Betcover!! - Uma
7. Paramore - This is Why
8. Mitski - The Land is Inhospitable and So are We
9. A Beacon School - Yoyo
10. Aesop Rock - Integrated Tech Solutions
Put my full list at https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Zantera/favorite-albums-of-2023/
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Nice list. Paramore would probably be my #12 spot - thanks to Litho for putting The News on his roulette ranking playlist cuz I probably never would have given it a chance otherwise.
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Nice list. Paramore would probably be my #12 spot - thanks to Litho for putting The News on his roulette ranking playlist cuz I probably never would have given it a chance otherwise.
I got The News in my roulette earlier this year. Yeah, it was a cool song.
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Through the first half of the year or so I thought this was kind of a lackluster year for new music, but then a bunch of stuff came out in the fall and winter that made it a really strong year. So much so that albums that were at the top of my rankings most of the year got pushed to the edge or out of the top 10.
Top 10 albums:
1. Advent Horizon - A Cell to Call Home
- This is the heaviest album to grab me in a long time. It’s a flawless record with fantastic writing and really great performances. Have been spinning it heavily since October and it still feels fresh. Can’t recommend this enough.
2. Peter Gabriel - i/o
- 21 years in the making, and this did not disappoint. Builds on Us and Up but sounds very modern and fresh while uniquely PG. If this is Gabriel’s last effort he went out on a tremendous note.
3. Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2
- Another long awaited follow up. This just hits all the notes you want to hear from this band. Just pure joy from every song, and they really went for it instrumentally here. Probably the best the band has ever sounded on record probably.
4. Harp - Albion
- Another late year release by an artist I was unfamiliar with before someone elsewhere shared this. Kind of a mix of Indie, new wave, and pastoral English prog. It’s a mesmerizing listen that you can sort of just get lost in. High replay value, even if no one track really stands out.
5. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
- The best thing I’ve heard from SW since In Absentia. It waned a bit after my initial listens, but I still feel there’s a gravitas to this one that will hold up pretty well.
6. Vamoosery - Moving Forward
- Another heavier act that came out of nowhere. Debut album from this female fronted band with a Christian perspective. Might be the best sounding album of the year. Some really cool songs here.
7. Stefano Panunzi - Pages From The Sea
- Moody electronic/atmospheric prog, about half instrumental. Very cool soundscape stuff but also some really interesting songs too. Features Jakko from KC on several songs. Amazing cover art.
8. Oteil Burbridge - A Lovely View of Heaven
- Former Allman Brothers bassist (and numerous other jam type acts) with a gospel/jazz album about loss with touching tributes to lost loved ones. The title track is amazing and worth the price of admission.
9. D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings - Sophomore
- I like this even better than the debut. Songs are a bit more arranged and filled out with more instrumentation, but it doesn’t take away from the three part harmonies that are the core of the band. Great stuff.
10. Martin Miller - Maze of my Mind
- You’ve probably seen his YouTube videos, but this album is a masterclass in DT-like prog but with more of a pop soul if that makes sense. Great writing, singing, and amazing chops on guitar from Martin.
Others:
11. Kite Parade - Retro
12. Peter Brewis - Blowdry Collosus
13. The Winery Dogs - III
14. The Clientele - I Am Not There Anymore
15. Retreat from Moscow - Dreams, Myths and Machines
16. The Flower Kings - Look At You Now
17. David Brewis - The Soft Struggles
18. Tommy Taylor - Across the Stars
19. Amplifier - Hologram
20. One Sided Horse - My Favorite City At Night In The Rain
EPs:
1. John Monroe & Field Music - Songs from the Shelf
2. Randy McStine - Unintentional
3. Steve Hogarth/Richard Barbieri - Waiting to be Born
Reissues:
1. David Longdon - Wild River
2. Big Big Train - Ingenious Devices
3. Marillion - Seasons End
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gonna follow-up with an Honorable Mentions list soon.
Follow Up YouTube Video about Honorable Mentions and EPs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxhvCS5lQqM)
Final List
1a. Small Leaks Sink Ships - Low Tide
1b. Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Faraway Friends
3. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
4. Giant Sky - Giant Sky II
5. Team Me - Return to the Riverside
6. The Guess Who - Plein D'Amour
7. Peter Gabriel - i/o
8. Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, the Water, the Sky
9. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
10. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (Dreamy/Trippy Psych Rock: Meteora Blues)
11. Squid - O Monolith
12. Codeseven - Go Let It In
13. Childish Japes featuring Joanna Teters - Matters of Life and Death Part 1
14. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
15. Dream the Electric Sleep - American Mystic
16. Kimbra - A Reckoning
17. Scalise - Before We Dry Up
18. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream
19. Sigur Ros - ÁTTA
20. HMLTD - The Worm
21. Local Natives - Time Waits for No One
22. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
23. Sucre - Starkisser
24. Mayer Hawthorne - For All Time
25. The Polyphonic Spree - Salvage Enterprise
26. Harp - Albion
27. Extreme - Rise
28. LA Priest - Fase Luna
29. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
30. Yes - Mirror to the Sky
31. Telefone - Telefone
32. Themes for Great Cities - Themes for Great Cities: Tallinn
33. Lackthere0f - New Devonian
34a. Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2
34b. I Am the Manic Whale - Bumper Book of Mystery Stories
34c. Chronicles of Father Robin -
34d Dave Kerzner - Heart Land Mines
EPs
1. Dirt Poor Robins - Prelude to Firebird
2. Shell Pink - The Warmth of the Sun
3. Adjy - June Songs Vol.1
4a. Toehider - Quit Forever?
4b. Toehider - Snapshots From Beacontown Spring Dance '85
4c. The 4 Castles of Stelcoaryn
4d. Horse
4e. Take on a Tank
9. Radical Face - A Light In The Woods: Book 1
10. Micky Dolenz - Dolenz Sings R.E.M.
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Genuine ranking.
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream... - Also my top album of this decade by a wide margin.
2. Metallica - 72 Seasons - After only liking half of Hardwired I was most pleasantly surprised by how much I love this. Very close to my number 1.
3. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre - There's a lot of stuff on this album I hate but Periphery makes it work.
4. Queens Of The Stone Age - In Times New Roman... Pretty sure Homme could fart on a snare drum and I'd love it.
5. Baroness - Stone - A great release mixing new and old.
Played a lot after the top 5.
6. Corey Taylor - CMF2 - A long overdue successor to Hydrograd. Worth a spin if you like straightforward metal/rock.
7. Born Through Fire - Purify and Refine - It's pretty much As I Lay Dying. Yes I'm aware.
8. Wayfarer - American Gothic - I expect this will be the album that I will say I should have ranked higher in a few months.
9. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse or Dawn of Eternal Night an Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation - Glad somebody else ranked it so I didn't have to type the title.
10. Haken - Fauna - Kinda disappointed after Vecor/Virus but still some great songs. I think I like the cover more than the music.
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That A7X album might be one of the most polarizing ones I've ever seen. It has a quite poor aggregate ranking, but the people who like it have it at the top of their lists mostly.
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That A7X album might be one of the most polarizing ones I've ever seen. It has a quite poor aggregate ranking, but the people who like it have it at the top of their lists mostly.
it totally is. I happen to like much of it, but some of it does make me cringe, I didn't find myself wanting to go back to it that often.
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That A7X album might be one of the most polarizing ones I've ever seen. It has a quite poor aggregate ranking, but the people who like it have it at the top of their lists mostly.
it totally is. I happen to like much of it, but some of it does make me cringe, I didn't find myself wanting to go back to it that often.
I couldn't make it through the third song, honestly, but Cosmic was sent to me in my roulette (by two people!), and it was pretty good.
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I kinda enjoyed the A7X and admire their approach, going for it without worrying too much about genres and such. But ultimately it didn't really stick. I'll probably revisit, though.
72 Season was a disappointment for me. I use "disappointment" because I had actually liked Hardwired a fair bit, and was hoping for something I'd enjoy as much as that one. I tried several listens and I found it pretty nondescript. There are some decent tunes, but none of them reach significant highs. Papa Het is the best thing on the record. Ulrich's performance, even controlling for low expectations, is "blah" and I really don't like the way the drums sound.
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That A7X album might be one of the most polarizing ones I've ever seen. It has a quite poor aggregate ranking, but the people who like it have it at the top of their lists mostly.
it totally is. I happen to like much of it, but some of it does make me cringe, I didn't find myself wanting to go back to it that often.
I couldn't make it through the third song, honestly, but Cosmic was sent to me in my roulette (by two people!), and it was pretty good.
You would absolutely hate where the album goes after Cosmic.
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That A7X album might be one of the most polarizing ones I've ever seen. It has a quite poor aggregate ranking, but the people who like it have it at the top of their lists mostly.
it totally is. I happen to like much of it, but some of it does make me cringe, I didn't find myself wanting to go back to it that often.
I couldn't make it through the third song, honestly, but Cosmic was sent to me in my roulette (by two people!), and it was pretty good.
You would absolutely hate where the album goes after Cosmic.
I'll never know. :lol
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I kinda enjoyed the A7X and admire their approach, going for it without worrying too much about genres and such. But ultimately it didn't really stick. I'll probably revisit, though.
72 Season was a disappointment for me. I use "disappointment" because I had actually liked Hardwired a fair bit, and was hoping for something I'd enjoy as much as that one. I tried several listens and I found it pretty nondescript. There are some decent tunes, but none of them reach significant highs. Papa Het is the best thing on the record. Ulrich's performance, even controlling for low expectations, is "blah" and I really don't like the way the drums sound.
Yeah, all of this.
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That A7X album might be one of the most polarizing ones I've ever seen. It has a quite poor aggregate ranking, but the people who like it have it at the top of their lists mostly.
it totally is. I happen to like much of it, but some of it does make me cringe, I didn't find myself wanting to go back to it that often.
I couldn't make it through the third song, honestly, but Cosmic was sent to me in my roulette (by two people!), and it was pretty good.
You would absolutely hate where the album goes after Cosmic.
I'll never know. :lol
Best to keep it that way. :lol
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++
Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current
Krallice - Mass Cathexis 2 - The Kinetic Infinite
Afterbirth - In But Not Of
Angra - Cycles of Pain
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - The Silver Cord
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Haken - Fauna
Swans - The Beggar
Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
Grails - Anches En Maat
+
Khanate - To Be Cruel
Peter Gabriel - i/o
Ray Alder - II
Temic - Terror Management Theory
Gong - Unending Ascending
Ozric Tentacles - Lotus Unfolding
Hiromi's Sonicwonder - Sonicwonderland
Enslaved - Heimdal
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
Ahab - The Coral Tombs
Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium: Nahab
Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
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Extreme - Six
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Here's my overall top ten:
10. Depeche Mode - Memento mori
9. Century - The Conquest of time
8. Steven Wilson - The Harmony codex
7. Bruiser & Bicycle - Holly red wagon
6. Metallica - 72 seasons
5. Melvic Centre - Melvic centre
4. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
3. Temples - Exotico
2. Deerhoof - Miracle-level
1. Haken - Fauna
Pretty good year for music overall. :tup
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Final Top Ten...
10-Babymetal- The Other One
9- Periphery- Periphery V: D'jent is Not a Genre
8- Lovebites- Judgement Day
7- Saiseiga- Nostalgia
6- Haken- Fauna
5- Hanabie- Reborn Superstar!
4- Spiritbox- The Fear of Fear
3- Gacharic Spin- W
2- OK Goodnight- The Fox and The Bird
1- Tesseract- War of Being
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I only bought 2 albums this year. I kept my commitment to myself to get my buying addiction under control.
Of those 2, 72 Seasons wins easily.
And I may be one of only 50 people on earth who would rank Metallica's top 3;
72 Seasons
Hardwired
Black Album
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Here's my 2023 list:
Top 10
1. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
2. Tanith - Voyage
3. Pristine - The Lines We Cross
4. Voyager - Fearless in Love
5. Haken - Fauna
6. Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold
7. Insomnium - Anno 1696
8. Night Demon - Outsider
9. Sermon - Of Golden Verse
10. 1476 - In Exile
11-30 (with a semblance of an order)
11. Hanging Garden - The Garden
12. Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
13. Silver Bullet - Shadowfall
14. Anubis Gate - Interference
15. Paramore - This Is Why
16. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn into You
17. Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
18. Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed
19. Mammoth WVH - II
20. Royal Thunder - Rebuilding the Mountain
21. Subsignal - A Poetry of Rain
22. Vanishing Kids - Miracle of Death
23. Gunship - Unicorn
24. Inculter - Morbid Origins
25. Mutoid Man - Mutant
26. The Anchoret - It All Began With Loneliness
27. Isole - Anesidora
28. Peter Gabriel - i/o
29. Witch Ripper - The Flight After the Fall
30. Timechild - Blossom & Plague
Katatonia basically snatched the #1 spot back in January, and never gave it up. Still not sure where I'd rank the album in their discography, but it's a great one that met (and perhaps surpassed) my expectations. Tanith and Pristine surely were the surprises of the year. Voyage is such a brilliant album of classic hard rock/metal...very catchy and easy to like, yet adventurous in its songwriting, with great production and lovely vocal interplay. Pristine kinda came out of nowhere (although my understanding is that they are relatively well known in native Norway and they've been around for a while now) and truly struck me, even though the genre is not even something I tend to go for often. Fantastic vocals, and classic rock that's not afraid of being emotional, groovy and "modern" all at the same time. Looking at the top 10, Voyager put out a great record, as did Haken (Fauna kept growing on me). Sacred Outcry's Tower of Gold is one of the power metal records I enjoyed the most in the last few years. To stay within a "classic" sound, Night Demon were also a nice surprise - catchy, melodic, well produced, all killer/no filler tune. Insomnium is another band that seems incapable of disappointing. Sermon is proggy goodness that has mood, hard-hitting riffage and melodies, with a great sense of dynamics. Good stuff. To round it up, 1476 was perhaps the most "different" in the list. Very original, extremely cool atmosphere throughout (vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, but they work for me in this context). Kept coming back to it.
Lots of other things I liked in the rest of the list, of course.
Anyhoo...I listened to, liked (and purchased!) plenty of albums this year. Planning to post a bunch of honorable mentions too.
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1. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
:hifive:
We're definitely going to have some others in common as well.
I'll probably be posting mine a bit after new year's. It won't be "done", but at that point I'll just need to call it a year and stop. Just too many competing distractions last year to get as much listening in as the past few years.
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Final Top Ten...
10-Babymetal- The Other One
9- Periphery- Periphery V: D'jent is Not a Genre
8- Lovebites- Judgement Day
7- Saiseiga- Nostalgia
6- Haken- Fauna
5- Hanabie- Reborn Superstar!
4- Spiritbox- The Fear of Fear
3- Gacharic Spin- W
2- OK Goodnight- The Fox and The Bird
1- Tesseract- War of Being
A very excellent list. All but the Babymetal get at least an 8/10 from me, and that one I haven't rated or heard (although I've not been particularly impressed by what else I've heard from them).
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Final Top Ten...
10-Babymetal- The Other One
9- Periphery- Periphery V: D'jent is Not a Genre
8- Lovebites- Judgement Day
7- Saiseiga- Nostalgia
6- Haken- Fauna
5- Hanabie- Reborn Superstar!
4- Spiritbox- The Fear of Fear
3- Gacharic Spin- W
2- OK Goodnight- The Fox and The Bird
1- Tesseract- War of Being
A very excellent list. All but the Babymetal get at least an 8/10 from me, and that one I haven't rated or heard (although I've not been particularly impressed by what else I've heard from them).
It's mostly there on the strength of Metal Kingdom and Monochrome, especially the latter, it was my #3 song for the year. You should give it a spin though, they have a more grown up sound to this one, have centered musically on a djent-esque sound, and have all but dropped the cutesy stuff from earlier works.
Monochrome - https://youtu.be/FpPBPQUdFx8?si=wGnhr7Q0kvx7bII3 (https://youtu.be/FpPBPQUdFx8?si=wGnhr7Q0kvx7bII3)
Metal Kingdom - https://youtu.be/ALznpaBWUTo?si=HEhYoulpBcX9vvut (https://youtu.be/ALznpaBWUTo?si=HEhYoulpBcX9vvut)
You're the only one who has even listened to the Saiseiga, Hanabie, and probably Gachapin as well. Gachapin would've been a runaway #1 in pretty much any other year, but damn were OK and Tesseract amazing albums.
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1. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
:hifive:
We're definitely going to have some others in common as well.
I'll probably be posting mine a bit after new year's. It won't be "done", but at that point I'll just need to call it a year and stop. Just too many competing distractions last year to get as much listening in as the past few years.
:tup
Looking forward to seeing it...
My HMs below:
Advent Horizon - A Cell To Call Home
Afterbirth - In But Not Of
Altari - Krofueldar
AVKRVST - The Approbation
Baroness - Stone
Bizarrekult - Den Tapte Krigen
Carnosus - Visions of Infinihility
Crom - The Era of Darkness
Crown Lands - Fearless
Death of Giants - Ventesorg
Diviner - Avaton
Enslaved - Heimdal
Essence of Datum - Radikal Rats
Fabricant - Drudge to the Thicket
Fifth Angel - When Angels Kill
Final Gasp - Mourning Moon
Gorod - The Orb
Green Lung - This Heathen Land
Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
Host - IX
Inherus - Beholden
Krigsgrav - Fires in the Fall
Nospun - Opus
Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
Orbit Culture - Descent
Pressure Points - The Island
Restless Spirit - Afterimage
Ring of Gyges - Metamorphosis
Rival Sons - Darkfighter
Riverside - ID.Entity
Saturnus - The Storm Within
Serpent of Old - Ensemble Under the Dark Sun
Sodomisery - Mazzaroth
Soen - Memorial
Somnuri - Desiderium
Southern Empire - Another World
Spanish Love Songs - No Joy
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Stray Gods - Olympus
Sworn - A Journey Told Through Fire
The Enigma Division - The Enigma Division
The Night Eternal - Fatale
Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
War Curse - Confession
Wings of Steel - Gates of Twilight
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Nick, your Honourable Mentions are better than your actual list! Especially these ones...
My HMs below:
AVKRVST - The Approbation
Baroness - Stone
Enslaved - Heimdal
Fabricant - Drudge to the Thicket
Green Lung - This Heathen Land
Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
Nospun - Opus
Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
Pressure Points - The Island
Soen - Memorial
Southern Empire - Another World
Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
Still working on my final list :corn
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Nick, your Honourable Mentions are better than your actual list! Especially these ones...
Still working on my final list :corn
I figured you'd think that :biggrin:
Curious to see your list...I have a sense of what your #1 is, but you never know...
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He might prefer my honorables list too. :lol At least over my top 10 or so.
BTW, have you heard Fellahin Fall's Urbana EP this year? Definitely some late 90s Paradise Lost vibes from a Brooklyn group. Certainly a strong late contender I just stumbled upon. Puppies and Tomi might dig this as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1IPsGwb0I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1IPsGwb0I)
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BTW, have you heard Fellahin Fall's Urbana EP this year? Definitely some late 90s Paradise Lost vibes from a Brooklyn group. Certainly a strong late contender I just stumbled upon. Puppies and Tomi might dig this as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1IPsGwb0I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1IPsGwb0I)
I have not - and with a mention of late 90s PL, now I can't NOT check it out ;)
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My top 20 Metal albums of 2023! 🤘
(https://i.imgur.com/tOAuXme.jpg)
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Sulphur Aeon, The Answer Lies in the Black Void, and Scar Symmetry, nice.
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10. Tesseract – War of Being
Tesseract are well-known for their brand of spaced out progressive metal, and their inscrutable concept albums. With War of Being, Tesseract have created another thematically profound sonic experience that would be hard to imagine coming from anywhere else. They are truly masters at what they do.
9. KNOWER – KNOWER FOREVER
I’m late to the party with KNOWER, who are a recent personal discovery. But as a big fan of artists like Thundercat, and DOMI and JD Beck, KNOWER fall right in the pocket of stuff I’m into. What I really liked here were the occasional forays into a style that is reminiscent of the classical works of Aaron Copland. I haven’t heard a band do something that scratched that itch since Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But here, it feels so urban, novel, and trendy.
8. Origami Angel – The Brightest Days
This mid-atlantic emo duo barely have a miss yet, and so-called mixtape “The Brightest Days” continues to show us that, with each release, Origami Angel manage to peel back to another level of maturity as both songwriters and instrumentalists.
7. Jizue – Biotop
With the release of “Biotop”, the Kyoto-based Jizue top even their impressive 2020 effort “Seeds”. Piano player Kie Nizomiyo often steals the show, but I also think guitarist Noriyuki Inoue has never sounded better with the quartet. Here, he pulls from breadth of guitar techniques and styles ranging from jazz to post rock, and helps drive forward the band’s unique to new levels.
6. OK Goodnight – The Fox and the Bird
If anyone saw an all-time great progressive metal concept album dropping by a relatively young band in 2023, it sure wasn’t me. But OK Goodnight just have so much going on in their favor – they’re virtuoso-style players who happen to have an eye for not just art, but storytelling, and they’ve got a leg up thanks to the legion of fans that vocalist Casey Lee William’s brings with her from her work with the Netflix anime series RWBY. I hope they can continue to grow in to one of the most exciting bands in the world of progressive rock and metal.
5. Kendrick Scott – Corridors
With Corridors, jazz drummer Kendrick Scott delivers tightly woven work poetry that poses questions about the various doors and hallways of our lives, especially in the context of COVID lockdowns. That kind of thoughtfulness makes Corridors such a special album to return to again and again – not just for the great music, but also for the sort of meditation it invites.
4. Slowdive – Everything is Alive
Having recently undergone a deeply moving experience playing the video game Pentiment, I recognized the labyrinth on the cover of Slowdive’s newest release immediately as something that carried a special significance. Born from grief, “Everything is Alive” is like the labyrinth itself – circular, haunting, beautiful, and, whilst born from grief, ultimately triumphant.
3. Covet – Catharsis
I was as worried about anyone when Covet’s original – and founding – rhythm section decided to dip out of the band earlier this year. I’m still not sure what was going on there, or why that happened. But regardless, both Catharsis and Covet’s subsequent tour under the new lineup proved to me that, without a shadow of a doubt, Covet are still here to stay, and have lost not a single step under the direction of Yvette Young, who is, at this point, a generational guitarist.
2. Haken – Fauna
Haken were an early interest of mine, but “Fauna” is the first time since the delightful “Aquarius” that I’ve felt they have really lived up to the challenge of being more than a typical progressive metal band. I credit the return of Peter Jones on keyboard. On “Fauna”, I hear more than just Dream Theater inspiration and djent riffs. Instead, I get all that, but also some genuine nods to electronic music, nu jazz, and even pop. Haken are the best band in progressive metal right now – and now we’ll see what Dream Theater can do with the return of Mike Portnoy.
1. Explosions in the Sky – End
For me, Explosions in the Sky will always be synonymous with how I think about the core post-rock sound. Twinkly guitars weave around each other in the service of simple but tasteful melodies. Sometimes this is heightened by an electronic element, other times it’s contrasted by the sound of a distorted telecasters breaking up a loud fender amplifier. For a long time now, Explosions in the Sky have been off the radar of tastemakers and alt-music enjoyers in general. But for me, they’ve never gotten old, and if End is truly the last thing they ever do as a group, I sure know that I’m going to miss them.
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Skeever, give me a list of songs from those albums to check out. I feel you and I have some good overlap in music tastes and I'd like to check some of that out when I am done rouletting. I'll make a Spotify playlist if you have the time to make a list.
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10. Tesseract – War of Being
Tesseract are well-known for their brand of spaced out progressive metal, and their inscrutable concept albums. With War of Being, Tesseract have created another thematically profound sonic experience that would be hard to imagine coming from anywhere else. They are truly masters at what they do.
9. KNOWER – KNOWER FOREVER
I’m late to the party with KNOWER, who are a recent personal discovery. But as a big fan of artists like Thundercat, and DOMI and JD Beck, KNOWER fall right in the pocket of stuff I’m into. What I really liked here were the occasional forays into a style that is reminiscent of the classical works of Aaron Copland. I haven’t heard a band do something that scratched that itch since Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But here, it feels so urban, novel, and trendy.
8. Origami Angel – The Brightest Days
This mid-atlantic emo duo barely have a miss yet, and so-called mixtape “The Brightest Days” continues to show us that, with each release, Origami Angel manage to peel back to another level of maturity as both songwriters and instrumentalists.
7. Jizue – Biotop
With the release of “Biotop”, the Kyoto-based Jizue top even their impressive 2020 effort “Seeds”. Piano player Kie Nizomiyo often steals the show, but I also think guitarist Noriyuki Inoue has never sounded better with the quartet. Here, he pulls from breadth of guitar techniques and styles ranging from jazz to post rock, and helps drive forward the band’s unique to new levels.
6. OK Goodnight – The Fox and the Bird
If anyone saw an all-time great progressive metal concept album dropping by a relatively young band in 2023, it sure wasn’t me. But OK Goodnight just have so much going on in their favor – they’re virtuoso-style players who happen to have an eye for not just art, but storytelling, and they’ve got a leg up thanks to the legion of fans that vocalist Casey Lee William’s brings with her from her work with the Netflix anime series RWBY. I hope they can continue to grow in to one of the most exciting bands in the world of progressive rock and metal.
5. Kendrick Scott – Corridors
With Corridors, jazz drummer Kendrick Scott delivers tightly woven work poetry that poses questions about the various doors and hallways of our lives, especially in the context of COVID lockdowns. That kind of thoughtfulness makes Corridors such a special album to return to again and again – not just for the great music, but also for the sort of meditation it invites.
4. Slowdive – Everything is Alive
Having recently undergone a deeply moving experience playing the video game Pentiment, I recognized the labyrinth on the cover of Slowdive’s newest release immediately as something that carried a special significance. Born from grief, “Everything is Alive” is like the labyrinth itself – circular, haunting, beautiful, and, whilst born from grief, ultimately triumphant.
3. Covet – Catharsis
I was as worried about anyone when Covet’s original – and founding – rhythm section decided to dip out of the band earlier this year. I’m still not sure what was going on there, or why that happened. But regardless, both Catharsis and Covet’s subsequent tour under the new lineup proved to me that, without a shadow of a doubt, Covet are still here to stay, and have lost not a single step under the direction of Yvette Young, who is, at this point, a generational guitarist.
2. Haken – Fauna
Haken were an early interest of mine, but “Fauna” is the first time since the delightful “Aquarius” that I’ve felt they have really lived up to the challenge of being more than a typical progressive metal band. I credit the return of Peter Jones on keyboard. On “Fauna”, I hear more than just Dream Theater inspiration and djent riffs. Instead, I get all that, but also some genuine nods to electronic music, nu jazz, and even pop. Haken are the best band in progressive metal right now – and now we’ll see what Dream Theater can do with the return of Mike Portnoy.
1. Explosions in the Sky – End
For me, Explosions in the Sky will always be synonymous with how I think about the core post-rock sound. Twinkly guitars weave around each other in the service of simple but tasteful melodies. Sometimes this is heightened by an electronic element, other times it’s contrasted by the sound of a distorted telecasters breaking up a loud fender amplifier. For a long time now, Explosions in the Sky have been off the radar of tastemakers and alt-music enjoyers in general. But for me, they’ve never gotten old, and if End is truly the last thing they ever do as a group, I sure know that I’m going to miss them.
Seeing we have three mutual in out top tens, I'm gonna have to check out the rest of your list.
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I know three of those other artists and they are nothing like the three on your list. Covet seems like something you would enjoy though. Actually, I'm surprised you don't already know her.
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2023 has been the year where I did listen to the most new releases. Still, I feel more than before that my list is missing out great albums that I haven’t heard or that I haven’t listen to enough. I need to find a way to reduce my list of albums to listen to in 2024 because otherwise it’s an endless race ::).
Also, I took quite some time to make that list because I enjoy it. I wrote a few comments for each album (good and bad). I feel like it's hard to rank albums when some are just very good all the way through, while some have higher peaks but also lower points.
Anyway, here is my list (all the comments are obviously my own opinion) :
1. Saturnus- The Storm Within (Death-doom)
I listened to this album for the first time driving in the rain at night and it felt so right. Every note is on point and I love how emotional this album is. I knew that this album was special the first time I heard it and I still stand by that. My only criticize would be the transition song “Even Tide” that could be way shorter.
2. Sleep Token- Take me back to Eden (Alternative-prog metal)
The more I listened to this album over the year, the more I liked it. I listen to a lot of music so I can sometimes get bored by it, but Sleep token’s last album is so diverse, I can rarely be “not in the mood” to listen to it. The song Take me back to Eden is hands down their best. All their different styles are well combined in that song and the transitions are perfectly done.
3. Marianas Rest- Auer (death-doom)
Great emotions all over this album. All their songs work well on me except maybe the last one. I’ve never been much of My Dying Bride fan. Probably in part because I hate that band name.
4. Insomnium- Anno 1696 (melodeath)
Insomnium is one of my favorite band so this album is high on my list. In all cases, I do feel like Anno 1696 is one of their weakest album, especially since Heart Like a Grave, their last release, was my favorite from them. Anyway, a weak Insomnium album is still better than most albums.
5. Fires in the distance- Air not Meant for us (melodeath)
I absolutely love the combination of melodeath and classical piano. I love my melodeath music beautiful and emotional and this album is definitely both. I only have two complains with this band. First, there is not a specific song that is really catchy and makes you want to listen to it over and over. It’s just constantly a great album without having really high peaks of emotion. And second, it was a deception that there was no pianist when I saw them live. The piano is what set them apart from other bands so not having the pianist live is… not cool.
6. Deadly Carnage- Endless Blue (Post-metal)
Such a dreamy and lovely album. The cover art (my favorite of this year) fits the music perfectly. Dying Sun, Sublime Connection and Swan Seasons are amazing songs. Great vocals also. Finally, I'm usualy not a fan of random sounds in music, but the whale sounds in this album fit perfectly.
7. Heretoir- Nightsphere (blackgaze)
Heretoir are one of the best band at creating emotions. I love both the clear vocals and the screams. I also love how they balance each other giving a lot more intensity to the music that already holds some really strong melodies. Like for my n.1 choice of this list, I feel like the interlude Pneuma is way too long though.
8. Death of giants- Ventesor (Death doom)
Once again, this album has very good vocals with good variations between clear and harsh. It’s still an album that I don’t listen to that often because it’s hard to listen to it. The pain is so real in regards to the artist’s history that it is more heavy than an album who just speak about darker feelings in general.
9. Haunt The Woods- Ubiquity (Alternative rock)
Mainly, this is really good alternative rock but one of the reason why I put it so high on my list is their song “The Line, Pt II”. It’s my favorite guitar solo of the year. The whole song is just amazing and it's my second favorite song this year.
10. Ne Obliviscaris- Exul (Melodeath)
Like Fires in the distance do with piano, combining violon and melodeath is a great challenge and NO do it really well. Plus, I was really impressed by their live performance.
11. Mephorash- Kryst-Ah (black metal)
This album is just scary. Especially the ending. The emotion of despair is so strong that it scares me although I enjoy it a lot. This album also has some length. I think some of the breaks and noises could be reduced.
12. Blue October- Spinning the truth around (pt 2) (alternative rock)
I recently discovered Blue October other than their greatest hit and they have a lot to offer. Their soft songs are most of the time efficient. They remind me of a just a bit darker version of coldplay. Their last album is their softest and their best. They always manage to do really catchy songs.
13. Mystery- Redemption (prog rock)
Mystery pretty much always deliver. Everything seems to be in the right place in this last album.
14. Sodomisery- Mazzaroth (melodic black metal)
Catchy melodic black metal lovely done. I also have the feeling that this band could make a lot by starting a Gofundme and promising a change of name. It’s really bad and it doesn’t reflect the music at all.
15. Godthrymm- Distortions (doom)
I really wasn’t expecting to like this album as much as I do. Doom metal without growlings is great, especially when the melody is on point. The guitar solos add a lot to the music. Finaly, the female vocals are lovely and fit with the music. My complains are the album cover art (I think it’s ugly and doesn’t do justice to the beauty of the music) and the fact that sometimes the songs tend to drag.
16. Owsey- I love you from the day you died (Neoclassical)
My favorite Neoclassical album of the year, I love the cover art that fits with the music.
17. Aetherian- At Storm’s Edge (Melodeath)
Probably the best headbanging album of this list. I had a hard time choosing which one I prefer between this one and Bloodred Hourglass. BH makes me feel more emotions, but I feel like Aetherian has done a more complete album with less lower points than BH.
18. Bloodred Hourglass- How’s The Heart? (Melodeath)
BH is my best artists discovery of the year. They make trashy melodeath but with a lot of emotions infused. This last album has some high points, but I feel like their previous albums are better. Some songs aren’t really doing much for me.
19. Creeper- Sanguivore (gothic alternative rock)
This album is such a great discovery for me. Their music is so weird and catchy at the same time.
20. Half Moon Run- Salt (indie rock)
Half Moon Run keeps reaching the standards. Their last album is great and their relaxing rock is a pleasure to listen.
21. In Flames- Foregone (Melodeath)
Great album, I especially love the song Pure Light of mind. Some of the melodies on other songs leave me a bit indifferent though.
22. Soen- Memorial (alternative rock-metal)
Imperial was my favorite album by them. Memorial feels more radio friendly which can sometimes be good, but it this case I think it doesn’t really fits them. If they wanna head that way, I’m sure they have the potential to do it. I’ve heard some of Joel’s material before he joins the band and he can definitely do some good pop music. But at the moment, their sound don’t work for me. In all cases, Vitals is one of my favorite song of the year.
23. Katatonia- Sky Void of stars (Alternative metal)
Katatonia is pretty constant in making good music. This album doesn’t fail either although I feel like they could take more risks. Their music works, but I would like to hear them go more toward a prog sound similarly to what they’ve done with The Fall of Hearts (their best album). I feel like I don’t find enough “high” points to this album.
24. Giant Sky- Giant Sky II (prog, pop, electro rock)
I need to listen to this album more before commenting. Although my first feelings are that the albums have some really beautiful soft moments (among the best of 2023) but also, a few places where I feel like my mind doesn’t follow the music. Also, I’m not sure how I feel about Erlend’s screams in the album. I can’t decide if I like it or not.
25. No Signal- Distorted Reality (prog rock-metal)
This album would be higher on the list if it wasn’t for the fact that it's obviously way too long. Some parts definitely could’ve been cut off. For the rest, I love their melodies and their style variation. It’s very diverse and interesting.
26. Dark The Sun- Raven and the Nightsky (doom death)
I’m surprised this album doesn’t get more interest. It’s really well done although I generally prefer vocals a bit less harsh. In all cases, the piano and melodeath combination is done perfectly. Quite differently from Fires in the distance but both ways work. Fires in the distance feels more like piano taken off a classical music records whereas Dark The Sun use it in a more traditional accompaniment.
27. Shores of Null- The Loss of Beauty (melodeath)
Catchy melodeath with a good mix of clean and harsh vocals.
28. Rise to the Sky- Two Years of Grief (doom death)
Similar comment than with Death of giants. It’s hard to listen to this album because the pain is so real. For this reason, I haven’t listened to it that much. If I had, it would definitely be higher on the list because the music is very well done.
29. Dark Flood- Illusion of Light (melodeath)
Very dynamic melodeath with great mix of clean and harsh vocals. It has a power metal vibe as well. Anyway, this release is really enjoyable.
30. Orbit Culture- Descent (Melodeath)
Great melodeath but some songs work better than other.
Honorable mentions: Aara, Ashbringer, The Anchoret, Atlases, Burak Ozmucur, Ison, Hypno5e
Few albums that I feel will rank higher once I have listen to them enough times: Blackbraid, TEMIC, Kaunis Kuolematon, Forest of Ember Skies, Dodheimsgard, Karnataka, Southern Empire, Black Belt Eagle Scout, VV, Nospun, Advent Horizon, Sworn, Gav Moran, Wooden Veins, Copse, Lumsk, Exist Strategy, Downfall of Gaia, Shadowrunner, Hanging Garden.
Best song of the year: Mistland by IOTUNN. This song is a monster. The buildup, the solo, the vocals becoming harsher all through the song, just wow. Their album release in 2024 and if all songs are that level, I probably already have my album of the year for 2024.
Best band discovery: Bloodred Hourglass. They have become my second favorite melodeath band after Insomnium. Their trashy melodeath filled with emotions is addictive. This band’s harsh vocals are also really well done.
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Fires in the Distance sounds interesting.
good to see someone else mention Black Belt Eagle Scout. I wonder if dparrot heard their new record.
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5. Fires in the distance- Air not Meant for us (melodeath)
I absolutely love the combination of melodeath and classical piano. I love my melodeath music beautiful and emotional and this album is definitely both. I only have two complains with this band. First, there is not a specific song that is really catchy and makes you want to listen to it over and over. It’s just constantly a great album without having really high peaks of emotion. And second, it was a deception that there was no pianist when I saw them live. The piano is what set them apart from other bands so not having the pianist live is… not cool.
This album is stunning. this was Top 5 on my list as well.
26. Dark The Sun- Raven and the Nightsky (doom death)
I’m surprised this album doesn’t get more interest. It’s really well done although I generally prefer vocals a bit less harsh. In all cases, the piano and melodeath combination is done perfectly. Quite differently from Fires in the distance but both ways work. Fires in the distance feels more like piano taken off a classical music records whereas Dark The Sun use it in a more traditional accompaniment.
I love Dark the Suns, but I was a tad disappointed in this. I don't know. The harsh vocals were really harsh. Harsher than I felt on their previous releases. I loved The Raven as the lead "single" and this album was highly anticipated. maybe I need to hit it again.
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Fires in the Distance sounds interesting.
I've been pimping this album for a while now!
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Fires in the Distance sounds interesting.
good to see someone else mention Black Belt Eagle Scout. I wonder if dparrot heard their new record.
I actually found this following your suggestion haha
5. Fires in the distance- Air not Meant for us (melodeath)
I absolutely love the combination of melodeath and classical piano. I love my melodeath music beautiful and emotional and this album is definitely both. I only have two complains with this band. First, there is not a specific song that is really catchy and makes you want to listen to it over and over. It’s just constantly a great album without having really high peaks of emotion. And second, it was a deception that there was no pianist when I saw them live. The piano is what set them apart from other bands so not having the pianist live is… not cool.
This album is stunning. this was Top 5 on my list as well.
26. Dark The Sun- Raven and the Nightsky (doom death)
I’m surprised this album doesn’t get more interest. It’s really well done although I generally prefer vocals a bit less harsh. In all cases, the piano and melodeath combination is done perfectly. Quite differently from Fires in the distance but both ways work. Fires in the distance feels more like piano taken off a classical music records whereas Dark The Sun use it in a more traditional accompaniment.
I love Dark the Suns, but I was a tad disappointed in this. I don't know. The harsh vocals were really harsh. Harsher than I felt on their previous releases. I loved The Raven as the lead "single" and this album was highly anticipated. maybe I need to hit it again.
I agree. But anyway the melodies are pretty good imo
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I listened to a lot less music then usual this year. My number 1 slot was played VASTLY more than all the others logged together.
Voyager - Fearless In Love
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Nothing But Thieves - Dead Club City
Baroness - Stone
Hiromi - Sonicwonderland
Covet - Catharsis
Caroline Polachek - Desire I Want To Turn Into You
Mutoid man - Mutants
Black Market Brass - Hox
Spidergawd - VII
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Spidergawd - VII
This is a good album.
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Fires in the Distance sounds interesting.
I've been pimping this album for a while now!
I've probably listened to this album 4 or 5 times now and I just can't connect with it. It has all the components needed to be a top 30 album for me this year, but it hasn't even made my top 100.
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2023 has been the year where I did listen to the most new releases. Still, I feel more than before that my list is missing out great albums that I haven’t heard or that I haven’t listen to enough. I need to find a way to reduce my list of albums to listen to in 2024 because otherwise it’s an endless race ::).
Also, I took quite some time to make that list because I enjoy it. I wrote a few comments for each album (good and bad). I feel like it's hard to rank albums when some are just very good all the way through, while some have higher peaks but also lower points.
Nice list, for sure :tup
14. Sodomisery- Mazzaroth (melodic black metal)
Catchy melodic black metal lovely done. I also have the feeling that this band could make a lot by starting a Gofundme and promising a change of name. It’s really bad and it doesn’t reflect the music at all.
This was very close to making my top 30. Agreed on the terrible name, but the record is VERY good.
15. Godthrymm- Distortions (doom)
I really wasn’t expecting to like this album as much as I do. Doom metal without growlings is great, especially when the melody is on point. The guitar solos add a lot to the music. Finaly, the female vocals are lovely and fit with the music. My complains are the album cover art (I think it’s ugly and doesn’t do justice to the beauty of the music) and the fact that sometimes the songs tend to drag.
This one didn't quite grab me as their previous album, but it's good. Yes, the female vocals are a nice addition and yes, the songs do drag a bit ;)
22. Soen- Memorial (alternative rock-metal)
Imperial was my favorite album by them. Memorial feels more radio friendly which can sometimes be good, but it this case I think it doesn’t really fits them. If they wanna head that way, I’m sure they have the potential to do it. I’ve heard some of Joel’s material before he joins the band and he can definitely do some good pop music. But at the moment, their sound don’t work for me. In all cases, Vitals is one of my favorite song of the year.
Lotus is my overall favorite from them - it hits the sweet spot between the Tool-isms of the first few albums and the catchier apprioach to songwriting. But I, too, really liked Imperial. As I said more than once here, as much as I liked it, I worried they were getting stuck with a formula...Memorial overall confirmed these worries. I ended up enjoying it too and listened to it a lot anyway. It was just overall a bit of a disappointment.
23. Katatonia- Sky Void of stars (Alternative metal)
Katatonia is pretty constant in making good music. This album doesn’t fail either although I feel like they could take more risks. Their music works, but I would like to hear them go more toward a prog sound similarly to what they’ve done with The Fall of Hearts (their best album). I feel like I don’t find enough “high” points to this album.
Well, it's my #1 so you know how I feel about this :)
30. Orbit Culture- Descent (Melodeath)
Great melodeath but some songs work better than other.
Made my HMs - it's not something I go for super-often, but I very much enjoyed. Intriguing atmosphere amongst the aggression. The Aisle of Fire is a GREAT song.
Best song of the year: Mistland by IOTUNN. This song is a monster. The buildup, the solo, the vocals becoming harsher all through the song, just wow. Their album release in 2024 and if all songs are that level, I probably already have my album of the year for 2024.
Very much looking forward to their new album, for sure.
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Nick, your Honourable Mentions are better than your actual list! Especially these ones...
Still working on my final list :corn
I figured you'd think that :biggrin:
Curious to see your list...I have a sense of what your #1 is, but you never know...
My number 1 has been locked in since I heard it for the first time, and I think I've been fairly vocal about it. I'm currently wasting time ranking all the albums I've given more than one listen to solidify my final ranking!
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Huh, I didn't realize Blind_FaithX and I had that much in common stylistically. Gonna have to pay more attention to your posts. A number of those will be on my list, others I heard and didn't vibe with yet, but could see growing on me later, and then a few more sound quite interesting, and I'll have to check them out in the near future (some of them probably not soon enough for a shot at my own though).
Props for Karnataka in the honorable mention list too. I actually have an older song of their's active in jingle's current round, but their one for this calendar year continues to grow on me as well and has moved up a tier or two.
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Spidergawd - VII
This is a good album.
Love those guys!
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Props for Karnataka in the honorable mention list too. I actually have an older song of their's active in jingle's current round, but their one for this calendar year continues to grow on me as well and has moved up a tier or two.
I liked their last album a lot. The new one is solid and probably more interesting than the older material I've heard from them, but it didn't grab me as much as Secrets of Angels.
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I don't have a ranking, but these are the albums that kicked my ass over the last year:
Metallica - 72 Seasons
Delain - Dark Waters
Dieth - To Hell and Back
Kamelot - The Awakening
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III
Primal Fear - Code Red
Overkill - Scorched
Orbit Culture - Descent
Fifth Angel - When Angels Kill
Metal Church - Congregation of Annihilation
Lots of other great records came out too, even though I gravitated to those above most of the time.
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Fires in the Distance sounds interesting.
I've been pimping this album for a while now!
Add me to the top 5 of the year category also.
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Ok, here's my "essentially final" list. I'm finishing up a Spotify playlist version later today that'll be similar.
2023 Top Favorite Albums:
#1 album of the year:
Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars - alternative/progressive/gothic metal/rock
Tier 1:
Anubis Gate - Interference - progressive metal
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - art/alt-pop
Earthside - Let the Truth Speak - progressive metal
KANGA - - Under Glass - electro/synthpop
Mourning Sun - Bahía desolación - ethereal doom metal
Temple of Angels - Endless Pursuit - ethereal wave, dream pop
TesseracT - War of Being - progressive metal, djent
The Jordan - Nowhere Near the Sky - trip hop
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament - hard rock, heavy metal
Tier 2:
Ché Aimee Dorval - The Crowned - dream pop
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game - dream pop, indie rock
Elysion - Bring Out Your Dead - alternative/gothic metal
FVNERALS - Let the Earth Be Silent - drone/funeral doom metal
GUNSHIP - Unicorn - synthwave/pop
Karnataka - Requiem for a Dream - progressive rock, neo-prog
Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle - melodic/symphonic black/power metal
Lights - dEd - downtempo, ambient pop
Nickel Creek - Celebrants - progressive bluegrass
Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird - progressive metal/rock
Paramore - This Is Why - post-punk revival
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph) - melodic death/progressive metal
Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals - death/black metal
Urbain - A Soul Purged - symphonic/melodic black metal
Tier 3:
Abstract Void - Forever - blackgaze, synthwave
Aeonian Sorrow - Katara - death/doom metal
Autumn's Grey Solace - Cease To Exist - dream pop, ethereal wave
Conspiracy of Zero - Ahthos arouris - progressive/melodic death metal
Decadence Dust - Lighthouse - gothic metal
Delain - Dark Waters - symphonic metal
Dream Unending/Worm - Starpath - death doom/symphonic black/progressive metal
Ellereve - Reminiscence - post-rock, singer-songwriter
Esben and the Witch - Hold Sacred - ethereal wave
Grand Cadaver - Deities of Deathlike Sleep - death metal
Hanging Garden - The Garden - gothic/death doom metal
Joanne Hogg & Natasha Petrovic - Apologia - Pilgrim
Lord of Shadows - Echoes of Yore - gothic death doom metal
Lumsk - Fremmede toner - progressive/Nordic folk rock
Majesties - Vast Reaches Unclaimed - melodic death metal
Mercenary - Soundtrack For the End Times - melodic death metal
Myrkur - Spine - ethereal wave, post-metal, chamber folk
Night Crowned - Tales - melodic/symphonic black metal
PVRIS - Evergreen - alt-pop
Rise To Fall - The Fifth Dimension - melodic death metal
Shedfromthebody - Amare - doom/shoegaze, post-metal
Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask - post-hardcore, blackgaze
Thayer Sarrano - Ancient Future - dream pop, gothic country
The Answer Lies in the Black Void - Thou Shalt - doom/post-metal
The Enigma Division - The Enigma Division - progressive metal
The Keening - Little Bird - psychedelic/dark folk
Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes - progressive melodic black/death metal
Tier 4:
Ad Infinitum - Chapter III: Downfall - symphonic/alternative metal
Angerot - The Profound Recreant - death metal
Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution - Golden Age of Music - progressive rock/metal
AVKRVST - The Approbation - progressive metal/rock
Azmari - Malestrom - jazz fusion
Bastard Grave - Vortex of Disgust - death/death doom metal
Bjørkø - Heartrot - progressive/melodic death metal
Blackbriar - A Dark Euphony - symphonic metal
Blut aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab - atmospheric/dissonant/avant-garde black metal
Dark Princess - Phoenix - symphonic/gothic metal
Dark the Suns - Raven and the Nightsky - melodic/gothic death doom metal
Depeche Mode - Memento Mori - synthpop
Dhafer Youssef - Street of Minarets - jazz-funk, arabic jazz
District 97 - Stay For the Ending - progressive metal, art rock
Dying Wish - Symptoms of Survival - melodic metalcore
Eleine - We Shall Remain - symphonic metal
False Memories - Hybrid Ego System - alternative/gothic metal
Fires in the Distance - Air Not Meant For Us - melodic death doom metal
Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys - post-punk, gothic rock
Haken - Fauna - progressive metal/rock
Hilary Hahn - Six Sonatas for Violin Solo op. 27 - modern classical
Hiromi's Sonicwonder - Sonicwonderland - jazz fusion
Host - IX - synthpop, darkwave, gothic rock
In Flames - Foregone - melodic death/alternative metal
ISON - Stars & Embers - ethereal wave, post-rock, space ambient
Jessie Ware - That! Feels! Good! - dance-pop, disco
Joel Hoekstra - Crash of Life - hard rock
Mega Drive - 200XAD - darksynth
mind.in.a.box - Black and White - futurepop
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway- City of Gold - progressive bluegrass, progressive country
Neuroticfish - The Demystification of the Human Heart - futurepop
Nightstop - Dead Girls Don't Dance - darksynth
NINA & Ricky Wilde - Scala Hearts - synthpop/wave
Ocean of Grief - - Pale Existence - death doom metal
October Tide - The Cancer Pledge - death doom/melodic death metal
Phantom Elite - Blue Blood - alternative/symphonic metal
Pristine - The Lines We Cross - psychedelic/hard rock
Pyramaze - Bloodlines - progressive/power metal
Rannoch - Conflagrations - progressive/death metal
Redemption - I Am the Storm - progressive metal
Rein - God is a Woman - electropop/electroclash/EBM
Royal Thunder - Rebuilding the Mountain - alternative/hard rock
Shylmagoghnar - Convergence - melodic black/death metal
Soen - Memorial - progressive/alternative metal
Stacey Kent - Summer Me, Winter Me - vocal jazz
Stortregn - Finitude - technical/melodic death metal
The Night Eternal - Fatale - heavy metal, gothic rock
Úlfúð- Of Existential Distortion - melodic black/death metal
Vamoosery - Moving Forward - progressive rock
Within Temptation - Bleed Out - alternative/symphonic metal
Yuja Wang - The American Project - modern classical, third stream, concerto, big band
EPs:
Dirt Poor Robins - Prelude to Firebird - progressive rock, rock opera
Kate Havnevik - spark! - electronic art pop
Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear - alternative metal, metalcore
Fellahin Fall - Urbana - alternative/gothic metal, synthpop
Abstract Void/Lumnos - A Glitching Reality - blackgaze, synthwave
Better Lovers - God Made Me an Animal - metalcore
Drab Majesty - An Object in Motion - dream pop, neo-psychedelia
Envy of None - That Was Then, This Is Now - art/indie/electropop
Iress - Solace - shoegaze, post-metal
MMXX - The Next Wave - doom death metal
Orpheus Omega - Portraits - melodic death metal
Stream of Passion - Beautiful Warrior - symphonic/progressive metal
The Foreshadowing - Forsaken Songs - doom metal, gothic metal
Tinashe - BB/ANG3L - alternative R&B
Here's the RYM version with album art.
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/LithoJazzoSphere/2023-favorite-albums/ (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/LithoJazzoSphere/2023-favorite-albums/)
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I guess I need to finalize mine lol
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Litho, that list is huuuuuge.
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I thought it would be smaller this year due to my roulette, but I kind of got carried away listening to '23 music practically non-stop the past month, which definitely filled it out a decent amount. Definitely gonna be sorting through it for years to come. Lots of new roulette fodder too.
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I thought it would be smaller this year due to my roulette, but I kind of got carried away listening to '23 music practically non-stop the past month, which definitely filled it out a decent amount. Definitely gonna be sorting through it for years to come. Lots of new roulette fodder too.
I got a c-note that says you'll get distracted with 2024 music pdq.
I'm personally spending the bulk of January listening thru my 41 saved albums from 2023 on Spotify so as to try and rank them. And keep spinning the 32 albums from 2023 that I purchased... and listen to my roulette submissions ... and keep my ear out for some nice 2024 releases ....
Not ... enough... hours... in .... the .... day ... <sigh>
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Indeed.
Historically in January I don't actually listen to much new music and keep going with underlistened '23 releases, but I'll definitely have to at least check a few things out if Jamesman adds a '24 round. I'll have my top "50" thread though as well fairly soon, finishing up the Katatonia discography discussion thread, plus some of my own post-roulette updates in the pipeline, and a few other projects...
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Ok, here's my "essentially final" list. I'm finishing up a Spotify playlist version later today that'll be similar.
-snip-
*whistles*
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Ok, here's my "essentially final" list. I'm finishing up a Spotify playlist version later today that'll be similar.
Will go over this soon!
(Did notice that Temple of Angels album made your Tier 1, though! I have to say, I have been listening to it a fair number of times myself...)
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Yeah, it stormed its way up the list in the past few weeks. Would probably have listened even more if I didn't have so many others to get to. I'll be rectifying that later this month for sure. I think I also heard about Grave Pleasures and Pristine from you first as well. Those will probably move up more later, they didn't catch my ear quite as much as Temple of Angels so I only had time for a single play, but I can definitely hear potential there.
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Yeah, it stormed its way up the list in the past few weeks. Would probably have listened even more if I didn't have so many others to get to. I'll be rectifying that later this month for sure. I think I also heard about Grave Pleasures and Pristine from you first as well. Those will probably move up more later, they didn't catch my ear quite as much as Temple of Angels so I only had time for a single play, but I can definitely hear potential there.
Ha! I didn't see you had Pristine, as I hadn't gone all the way down to Tier 4 yet ;) Yeah, Pristine ended up in my top 10 this year, completely out of nowhere. Like I said before, just fantastic vocals and approach on that one for me, it truly hit the spot.
I'm working while traveling over the next few days, so not a ton of time for music, but I'll get back to your list
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2023 has been the year where I did listen to the most new releases. Still, I feel more than before that my list is missing out great albums that I haven’t heard or that I haven’t listen to enough. I need to find a way to reduce my list of albums to listen to in 2024 because otherwise it’s an endless race ::).
Also, I took quite some time to make that list because I enjoy it. I wrote a few comments for each album (good and bad). I feel like it's hard to rank albums when some are just very good all the way through, while some have higher peaks but also lower points.
Nice list, for sure :tup
Thank you:) Also, everytime I listen to the last Katatonia, I enjoy it more than the previous listen. It might get higher on my list as well.
Huh, I didn't realize Blind_FaithX and I had that much in common stylistically. Gonna have to pay more attention to your posts. A number of those will be on my list, others I heard and didn't vibe with yet, but could see growing on me later, and then a few more sound quite interesting, and I'll have to check them out in the near future (some of them probably not soon enough for a shot at my own though).
Props for Karnataka in the honorable mention list too. I actually have an older song of their's active in jingle's current round, but their one for this calendar year continues to grow on me as well and has moved up a tier or two.
I just checked out your list and there's a lot of new stuff I need to listen. I'll get on that soon. Also, I did follow you on RYM with the link you gave.
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I´m late but here's my list for 2023. Listened to a lot of new releases but there´s a bunch that need a few more spins which could change my list.
Upcoming live shows (Periphery, Wayfarer, TesseracT, Svalbard, Enslaved, Predatory Void, Modder) will secure some extra attention for these albums.
Top 15 for now with the first 5 pretty much set in stone:
1. TesseracT - War of Being
2. Haken - Fauna
3. Bell Witch - Future’s Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate
4. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium: Nahab
5. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Petrodragonic Apocalypse or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
6. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
7. Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Night: Part 1
8. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
9. Myrkur - Spine
10. Morne - Engraved with Pain
11. Marianas Rest - Auer
12. Sermon - Of Golden Verse
13. Riverside - ID.Entity
14. Mayfire - Cloudscapes & Silhouettes
15. Orbit Culture - Descent
Other albums in no particular order:
Hexvessel - Polar Veil
Rorcal - Silence
Rannoch - Conflagrations
Fvnerals - Let the Eart be Silent
Periphery - V: Djent is Not a Genre
Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask
Wayfarer - American Gothic
Primordial - How It Ends
Sól án Varma – Sól án Varma
Barones - Stone
Tribunal - The Weight of Remembrance
Redemption - I am the Storm
Anubis Gate - Interference
Hypno5e - Sheol
The Ocean - Holocene
Shores of Null - The Loss of Beauty
Mutoid Man - Mutants
Predatory Void - Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being
Modder - The Great Liberation Through Hearing
Urne - A Feast on Sorrow
Enslaved - Heimdal
Time will tell but 2023 was a pretty good year on first impression.
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:tup A bunch of those are on mine, and a number that aren't are ones I had my eye on, but haven't made it around to yet.
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I'm progressing through my overly packed list. Only 92 more albums to listen to before my final ranking (that very few will care about) is finished.
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I'm not entirely sure if you're serious. :biggrin:
I do wish music fandom did these in January rather than starting in November though. I feel like by January most people don't care anymore (though I do). This is probably a better idea for its own thread or at least one of the random music chat threads, but I don't like how music album releases so closely mirror the general 24 hour news cycle, with so much forgotten by the next batch of releases every Friday.
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I'm not entirely sure if you're serious. :biggrin:
I do wish music fandom did these in January rather than starting in November though. I feel like by January most people don't care anymore (though I do).
I'm serious. That's not 92 new albums, I'm just relistening to every album that I thought was worth a damn this year, from bottom to top, one more time. It's a total of 172 albums, but my OCD is compelling me to have my ranking just right :facepalm:
I still care in January too dude!
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I'm not entirely sure if you're serious. :biggrin:
I do wish music fandom did these in January rather than starting in November though. I feel like by January most people don't care anymore (though I do).
I like to post mine like 2 weeks before Christmas. Then I take a "music vacation" for a few weeks, meaning I just listen to some personal classics. I take a break and I'm not in the mood for much exploration, relistening, thinking about ranking. I like to do it and be done with it. Usually by the 2nd or 3rd week of January, I'm ready to start to consider new music.
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I'm not entirely sure if you're serious. :biggrin:
I do wish music fandom did these in January rather than starting in November though. I feel like by January most people don't care anymore (though I do).
I'm serious. That's not 92 new albums, I'm just relistening to every album that I thought was worth a damn this year, from bottom to top, one more time. It's a total of 172 albums, but my OCD is compelling me to have my ranking just right :facepalm:
I'm pretty sure I could spend all of '24 listening to nothing but '23 music and still not get the ranking right. (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/Smileys/default/mehllin.gif) I did relisten last month to a few dozen of the albums I'd already heard earlier in the year but hadn't replayed, to make I wasn't missing out on anything. A few of those wound up making it higher than I thought they would.
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I liked what you did Litho, with tiers (and I believe you put Katatonia as your top pick). Seems much less stressful.
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Yeah, straight linear ranking just doesn't work for me. I try it every now and then, but I'm always less satisfied that way. Probably why I could never be happy with a straight stacker in a roulette either, other than to just "make myself have done it".
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Agreed on the stacker, I like the points system I am using now much better.
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I'm progressing through my overly packed list. Only 92 more albums to listen to before my final ranking (that very few will care about) is finished.
I most certainly do :)
But yeah, that seems like a lot of albums to rank. This year I, myself, listened to an especially large amount of music. I was able to reasonably rank 1-10, a little less reasonably 11-30, and then it's a bunch of honorable mentions. I stopped at 75, but I could've gone further, for sure. Maybe I'll do that and add another 25 :biggrin:
I do like to use the last couple of weeks of the year to peruse some lists online (including here, of course!) and see if I missed something that could interest me. Sometimes it happens, but for the most part things are pretty solidified...and, regardless, I don't usually "touch" my lists that late.
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I spent far too much time on this, and listened to some of these albums more than I ever needed to. This year I think I'm gonna be more ruthless and anything that doesn't grab me on first listen just doesn't get a second chance.
Anyway, here's my full list of albums I thought were worth a damn in 2023. There actually were more that I did only listen to once but this is what I ended up with...
1. Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But a Dream…
2. Blink-182 - One More Time...
3. Faintest Idea - The Road to Sedition
4. Closure in Moscow - Soft Hell
5. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
6. In Flames - Foregone
7. Ghost - Phantomime
8. Green Lung - This Heathen Land
9. The Bar Stool Preachers - Above the Static
10. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
11. Enslaved - Heimdal
12. The Dirty Nil - Free Reign to Passions
13. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
14. AVKRVST - The Approbation
15. Worm/Dream Unending - Starpath
16. Distant Worlds Orchestra - Distant Worlds VI: More Music From Final Fantasy
17. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
18. Random Hand - Random Hand
19. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
20. Haken - Fauna
21. Stoned Jesus - Father Light
22. Nospūn - Opus
23. Stortregn - Finitude
24. Bear Ghost - Jiminy
25. Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal
26. Baroness - Stone
27. Mutoid Man - Mutants
28. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hag
29. Riskee and the Ridicule - Platinum Statue
30. Beyond the Lamplight - Don't Forget to Leave It All Behind
31. Ok Goodnight - The Fox and the Bird
32. Ihsahn - Fascination Street Sessions
33. The Menzingers - Some of it Was True
34. Thy Catafalque - Alföld
35. Rannoch - Conflagrations
36. Gama Bomb - Bats
37. Sarmat - Determined to Strike
38. Toehider - Quit Forever?/Snapshots from Beacontown Spring Dance '85/The 4 Castles of Stelcoaryn/Horse/Take on a Tank
39. Spirit Adrift - Ghost at the Gallows
40. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - The Silver Cord
41. Dwarves - Concept Album
42. Drain - Living Proof
43. Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph)
44. Soen - Memorial
45. Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
46. The Hives - The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
47. The Ocean - Holocene
48. Messa - Live at Roadburn
49. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
50. Kvelertak - Endling
51. Omnerod - The Amensal Rise
52. Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki
53. Ulthar - Anthronomicon/Helionomicon
54. Headshot - Makes Us Survive!
55. Blood Incantation - Luminescent Bridge
56. Warmen - Here for None
57. Skindred - Smile
58. Alkaloid - Numen
59. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Fronzoli
60. Fleshvessel - Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed
61. The Gorge - Mechanical Fiction
62. Svalbard - The Weight of the Mask
63. Earthside - Let the Truth Speak
64. The Tiberian Sons - Anthems of Liberation
65. Sulphur Aeon - Seven Crowns and Seven Seals
66. Obsidian Tide - The Grand Crescendo
67. Chris Creswell - The Stubbornness of the Young
68. Inculter - Morbid Origins
69. Mariusz Duda - AFR AI D
70. Metallica - 72 Seasons
71. Celestial Wizard - Winds of the Cosmos
72. Periphery - Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre
73. City and Colour - The Love Still Held Me Near
74. Boris/Uniform- Bright New Disease
75. Death Pill - Death Pill
76. Suotana - Ounas I
77. Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars
78. Galneryus - Between Dread and Valor
79. The Hirsch Effekt - Urian
80. Riverside - I.D.Entity
81. Poh Hock - Gallimaufry
82. Zebrahead - II
83. Ningen Isu - 色即是空
84. Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
85. Nuclear Power Trio - Wet Ass Plutonium
86. Neolia - Neolia
87. Myrkur - Spine
88. Xoth - Exogalactic
89. Abel Sequera - Soundscapes
90. Ne Obliviscaris - Exul
91. Scaphoid - Echoes of the Rift
92. Deadly Carnage - Endless Blue
93. Johnny the Boy - You
94. GERES - Idle Worship
95. Lalu - The Fish Who Wanted to Be King
96. Moon Safari - Himlabacken (Vol. 2)
97. Jamie Lenman - Iknowyouknowiknow
98. Blood Command - World Domination
99. The Meffs - Broken Britain, Pt. 2
100. Plini - Mirage
101. Omnigone - Against the Rest
102. Urne - A Feast on Sorrow
103. HENGE - Alpha Test Four
104. Quiet Man - The Starving Lesson
105. Nothingness - Supraliminal
106. The Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High
107. Isole - Anesidora
108. Pizza Death - Reign of the Anticrust
109. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
110. The Expendables - Pleasure Point
111. The Hempsteadys - On the Undercard
112. Fucked Up - One Day
113. Dimmu Borgir - Inspiratio Profanus
114. Codefendants - This is Crime Wave
115. Pressure Points - The Island
116. Azamiah - In Phases
117. Empire State Bastard - Rivers of Heresy
118. Night Verses - Every Sound has a Color in the Valley of Night: Part 1
119. Southern Empire - Another World
120. Grant the Sun - Voyage
121. Herod - Iconoclast
122. PWRUP - Just Devils
123. Desert Storm - Death Rattle
124. Wicked Bears - Underwater
125. Dethklok - Dethalbum IV
126. Sadus - The Shadow Inside
127. Skálmöld - Ydalir
128. Covet - Catharsis
129. VAK - The Islands
130. Tanith - Voyage
131. Void - Jadjow
132. Sigur Rós - Átta
133. Modder - The Great Liberation Through Hearing
134. Pomegranate Tiger - All Input is Error
135. Slowdive - Everything is Alive
136. Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Data Doom
137. Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden
138. Entheos - Time Will Take Us All
139. Panopticon - The Rime of Memory
140. Night Crowned - Tales
141. Einar Solberg - 16
142. Fabricant - Drudge to the Thicket
143. Tesseract - War of Being
144. East of the Wall - A Neutral Second
145. Harp - Albion
146. Unprocessed - ...and Everything in Between
147. Angra - Cycles of Pain
148. The World is Quiet Here - Zon
149. Gunship - Unicorn
150. Fires In the Distance - Air Not Meant for Us
151. Altin Gün - Ask
152. Blackscape - Suffocated by the Sun
153. Popes of Chillitown - Take a Picture
154. Swans - The Beggar
155. Shade Empire - Sunholy
156. Explosions in the Sky - End
157. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific
158. Sylosis - A Sign of Things to Come
159. Astriferous - Pulsations from the Black Orb
160. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab
161. Victory Over the Sun - Dance You Monster to My Soft Song!
162. Obituary - Dying of Everything
163. Primordial - How it Ends
164. Goblin City Rat Boys - Rodent Rampage
165. Crosses - Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete
166. Suffocation - Hymns from the Apocrypha
167. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Land of Sleeper
168. Thee Oh Sees - Intercepted Message
169. Enoch Root - Delusion
170. Amplifier - Hologram
171. Tentacult - Lacerating Pattern
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So where's the cutoff for albums you actually enjoy? :lol
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The Blackscape is way too low. Seriously, I really liked that album.
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I think our overlap is around 20 albums. :biggrin: Another few dozen I had on my radar and didn't get around to though.
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So where's the cutoff for albums you actually enjoy? :lol
:lol maybe the bolded?
I just can't fathom listening to that many albums. That's like one every other day for a year. I don't think I could possibly remember and rank all them. Even for the ~25ish new albums in a year I'll listen to, I struggle remembering the songs from the bottom albums.
But I understand people have different listening habits than myself.
But also, having Angra that low makes me think the whole list is BS! :biggrin: I didn't rank Angra in my rankings because I listened to it after and just didn't go back and adjust things, but I'd probably have it close to 10ish. I really enjoy it.
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Not only is Luke's longer than mine, but it's in bigger letters too.
But more seriously, I consider that part of sampling in musical exploration. If I only listened to 25 new releases a year it'd probably be strictly from artists I already love, and wouldn't be exposed to potential new favorites.
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Not only is Luke's longer than mine, but it's in bigger letters too.
But more seriously, I consider that part of sampling in musical exploration. If I only listened to 25 new releases a year it'd probably be strictly from artists I already love, and wouldn't be exposed to potential new favorites.
Fair. Looking, 6 of the 25 albums for me were new bands to me. Although if I expanded, it would be 8 out of 29 to include the few 2023 albums I listened to since doing my rankings. Still, a small amount.
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So where's the cutoff for albums you actually enjoy? :lol
I think the Top 50 are the ones I REALLY enjoyed. I mean, I enjoyed them all. The albums I didn't enjoy are ones I loleft off the list.
The Blackscape is way too low. Seriously, I really liked that album.
It definitely wasn't bad, just not exceptional.
I think our overlap is around 20 albums. :biggrin: Another few dozen I had on my radar and didn't get around to though.
Sounds about right. Is there anything in my top 30 you rated as high?
So where's the cutoff for albums you actually enjoy? :lol
:lol maybe the bolded?
I just can't fathom listening to that many albums. That's like one every other day for a year. I don't think I could possibly remember and rank all them. Even for the ~25ish new albums in a year I'll listen to, I struggle remembering the songs from the bottom albums.
But I understand people have different listening habits than myself.
But also, having Angra that low makes me think the whole list is BS! :biggrin: I didn't rank Angra in my rankings because I listened to it after and just didn't go back and adjust things, but I'd probably have it close to 10ish. I really enjoy it.
Oh it's definitely an unhealthy obsession. I always check new releases each week and there's usually between 1-4 albums I'll want to check out. Then add in albums that I'm not aware of that get pimped around here and the numbers quickly add up. I've got good at making my mind up fairly quickly on an album (at least if it's worth a second shot). I generally do a rough ranking as I go through the year and shuffle it around as stuff starts to stick. Then this year I did a full playthrough of all these albums. That Angra just really didn't do anything for me. I'm not a huge fan anyway, but I like a few of their releases.
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Also Cram, it's like I couldn't imagine going to as many shows as you do each year and documenting it all! I'd love to go to that many shows, but the work that goes into your YouTube channel, that seems a crazy amount to me. Not knocking it at all, just saying, we all have our obsessions :lol
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In your top 50, the ones that placed higher are Ok Goodnight, Scar Symmetry, and Moonlight Sorcery. In Flames, AVKRVST, Worm/Dream Unending, Haken, Stortregn, Better Lovers, Rannoch, and Soen are on mine, but a bit lower.
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Also Cram, it's like I couldn't imagine going to as many shows as you do each year and documenting it all! I'd love to go to that many shows, but the work that goes into your YouTube channel, that seems a crazy amount to me. Not knocking it at all, just saying, we all have our obsessions :lol
Wasn't meant to knock you either. It just amazes me and I kind of can't comprehend it. I get it though.
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1. A7X - LIBAD
2. Rest
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Cool list Luke. Glad to see Haken just about scraped the top 20!
I'll probably update my list once I've finished working through all the artists I was sent in my last roulette, as a bunch of them had 2023 albums out (some of which have already featured in my current iteration).
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Also Cram, it's like I couldn't imagine going to as many shows as you do each year and documenting it all! I'd love to go to that many shows, but the work that goes into your YouTube channel, that seems a crazy amount to me. Not knocking it at all, just saying, we all have our obsessions :lol
My obsession is more like yours - it's one that's easier to accommodate when you have kids as you can do it at home/work, unlike going to gigs. :lol
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Also Cram, it's like I couldn't imagine going to as many shows as you do each year and documenting it all! I'd love to go to that many shows, but the work that goes into your YouTube channel, that seems a crazy amount to me. Not knocking it at all, just saying, we all have our obsessions :lol
My obsession is more like yours - it's one that's easier to accommodate when you have kids as you can do it at home/work, unlike going to gigs. :lol
Yea, Rich this is exactly it actually. Since becoming a Dad (and thus spending more time at home because of it) by obsession and listening habits have ramped up, as it's something I can occupy myself with, especially on those sleepless nights and early mornings.
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Goddamn that's a lot of album Luke :lol
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I'm glad to have him around to make me feel like my habit is still under control. ;D
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revivalizing this thread because my best of 2023 list vid went up yesterday and i figured i should probably promote it here a little.
https://youtu.be/ZE6y4pbonMU
all i will say is
1. Victory Over the Sun - Dance You Monster to My Soft Song!
2. Dreamwell - In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You
3. Vylet Pony - Carousel (An Examination of the Shadow, Creekflow, and its Life as an Afterthought)
4. Spanish Love Songs - No Joy
5. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
6. Fleshvessel - Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed
7. Esoctrilihum - Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac
8. Gunship - Unicorn
9. Liturgy - 93696
10. Dispirited Spirits - The Redshift Blues
pff, looking at this list now is very funny in hindsight
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liked :)
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Liked and added you on RYM. I'm Jerome1 on RYM.