2011: (Your) Most Disappointing Albums of the Year?

[skydivingninja]

The standards set by Lightbulb Sun are so, so high that inevitably every album I will ever listen to disappoints me. 

But the new dredg was the most disappointed I've been in quite some time.  The new Opeth could have been better as well, but it has its share of very good songs (Devil's Orchard, I Feel the Dark, Slither, Nepenthe, Folklore, and Marrow of the Earth come to mind.)  There's just a long patch of songs in the middle that I don't care for.  As TKiC mentioned, the songs all work much better live, which gives me even less incentive to listen to the album again

[Sigz]

Protest the Hero and BTBAM.

what

What? It was insanely dull.

[AcidLameLTE]

Protest the Hero

I think me and you are the only people who think this on DTF.

I haven't heard BTBAM's release this year.

Blackfield - Welcome to My DNA

[Sigz]

That's cause we're awesome o/

[Jamesman42]

*\o

[Zantera]

I haven't really listened to Kezia and Fortress enough to have a strong opinion about them, but I didn't care that much for Scurrilous either.
(so yeah, can not really qualify as a disappointment since I didn't have any expectations to begin with, barely knew the band)

[Dark Castle]

Oi, this is tough, I mean I didn't like Heritage at first, but a car drive changed that.
And all the albums I was looking forward to completely delivered.
I guess if I had to choose one though... USX.  One 38 minute long song.  It's not bad but like some people said for Heritage, it's boring.  It's a great song to just relax and have as background music, but it's hardly coherent.
...Still bought it though 

[AcidLameLTE]

*punches James out of the way*

That's cause we're awesome o/

*\o

[Kotowboy]

Mastodon, Dream Theater, Primus and Trivium were all mentioned.

Theyre my BEST albums of the year 

[jcmistat]

Symphony X - Iconoclast. The only real standout track is When All Is Lost everything else is   I was really hyped for this album and the tour but the album never satisfied me. Won't be seeing them live in 2012. They're indeed wasting Russell Allen's voice on this style of vocals. He does it good but every song shouldn't sound like that, he's much better than that.

[kirksnosehair]

Symphony X - Iconoclast. The only real standout track is When All Is Lost everything else is   I was really hyped for this album and the tour but the album never satisfied me. Won't be seeing them live in 2012. They're indeed wasting Russell Allen's voice on this style of vocals. He does it good but every song shouldn't sound like that, he's much better than that.

They had a great run with:

Divine Wings of Tragedy
Twilight in Olympus
V: The New Mythology Suite
The Odyssey

4 kick-ass albums that did a good job of mixing crunchy metal songs with symphonic stuff.   

The last couple of albums have been pretty disappointing. 

[LudwigVan]

Symphony X - Iconoclast. The only real standout track is When All Is Lost everything else is   I was really hyped for this album and the tour but the album never satisfied me. Won't be seeing them live in 2012. They're indeed wasting Russell Allen's voice on this style of vocals. He does it good but every song shouldn't sound like that, he's much better than that.

They had a great run with:

Divine Wings of Tragedy
Twilight in Olympus
V: The New Mythology Suite
The Odyssey

4 kick-ass albums that did a good job of mixing crunchy metal songs with symphonic stuff.   

The last couple of albums have been pretty disappointing.

Even The Damnation Game is better than their last couple.

[krands85]

The ones I thought of have already been mentioned. Opeth, Mastodon and Megadeth. Some good things with the Opeth and Mastodon records, but I didn't like Megadeths at all.

Lots of great stuff this year though, so it's not all bad

[bosk1]

My 3 for this year:

-Leaves Eyes:  Not sure why I had higher hopes, but I did.  There's nothing bad about it, but it seems like Vinland Saga was their "one album," and the others are a slight step down from that and all sound exactly the same.  They are the AC/DC of female fronted symphonic metal bands.

-Symphony X:  What others have said.

-Sebastian Bach:  There are some definite cool moments.  But overall, the album just sounds like a wall of noise, and the vocals still just sound processed and strange to me.

Also have to add Queensryche, although their album was such a disappointment that I didn't even buy it.  I'm still waiting to find a copy in the used bin.  Problem is, so few people bought it to begin with that you can't even find any used copies out there. 

[Ravenheart]

Probably Dredg, though I still think it's a decent album.

I'm the only one who cares about him on the board, but while Gary Numan's new album was very good, it's definitely his weakest album in awhile, especially after the incredible assault of Sacrifice, Exile, Pure, and Jagged.

[dongringo]

Also have to add Queensryche, although their album was such a disappointment that I didn't even buy it.  I'm still waiting to find a copy in the used bin.  Problem is, so few people bought it to begin with that you can't even find any used copies out there. 

I don't know why you would even want to buy a used copy. Buy something else, anything else. 

[Phoenix87x]

Dredg

[bosk1]

Also have to add Queensryche, although their album was such a disappointment that I didn't even buy it.  I'm still waiting to find a copy in the used bin.  Problem is, so few people bought it to begin with that you can't even find any used copies out there. 

I don't know why you would even want to buy a used copy. Buy something else, anything else. 

Completist/morbid curiosity

[dongringo]

Also have to add Queensryche, although their album was such a disappointment that I didn't even buy it.  I'm still waiting to find a copy in the used bin.  Problem is, so few people bought it to begin with that you can't even find any used copies out there. 

I don't know why you would even want to buy a used copy. Buy something else, anything else. 

Completist/morbid curiosity

Ahh, well I'm sure you be able to get it for under a dollar when it shows up in the used bin.

[TVC 15]

I'm With You by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Nothing really resonated with me on that album.  Maybe it was the high expectations since Stadium Arcadium was such a blast to listen to.

[jjrock88]

Queensryche DTC and Alice Cooper.

[JRundquist]

I swear I'm one of the only guys not disappointed by the new dredg album. I dig it, a lot.

As for disappointing albums, and by that I mean albums that I was hoping would be good and turned to shit, not ones that I knew were already going to be bad (Lulu, Dedicated To Chaos for example)


The Haunted: Unseen

One of the finest Swedish Metal bands turned into a Nickelback/Five Finger Donkey Punch tribute band. So sad, so pathetic.

Morbid Angel: Illud Divinum Insanus

There were a couple great songs on this, but the rest....what the fuck? I don't wanna hear Dubstep and Industrial music in my classic Death Metal.

Children Of Bodom- Relentless Reckless Forever

Another band that has been going downhill for a very long time. I played this album once before I never touched it again. I even left during their their headlining set in July....to be fair I was hanging out with Devin Townsend during their set. but my point still stands. 

Protest The Hero- Scurrilous
 
I think I just grew out of these guys. When Kezia came out I was smileing all over the place about these guys. Since then, It's been really "Meh". Hell I even went to see them Wednesday night (And again to be fair I was really there to see Scale The Summit and Last Chance TO Reason* but live, everyone else was going apeshit for them. I was left unimpressed.

All other albums I've heard this year I have enjoyed, or loved.

[FracturedMirror]

Lulu.  I didn't expect it to be great or anything, but I didn't expect it to be that awful.  Worst thing Metallica's ever done.  Compared to Lulu, St. Anger appears almost brilliant.

[LCArenas]

The Haunted: Unseen

One of the finest Swedish Metal bands turned into a Nickelback/Five Finger Donkey Punch tribute band. So sad, so pathetic.

You have to be fucking kidding me. Haven't heard the new album, is it that bad? I love rEVOLVEr (Their true masterpiece) and their first one.

[pogoowner]

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

It's not terrible, but it pales in comparison to the new Opeth, Arch/Matheos, Redemption, 3, and Haken albums.

[ReaperKK]

Gonna agree with the OP about dredg

[JRundquist]

The Haunted: Unseen

One of the finest Swedish Metal bands turned into a Nickelback/Five Finger Donkey Punch tribute band. So sad, so pathetic.

You have to be fucking kidding me. Haven't heard the new album, is it that bad? I love rEVOLVEr (Their true masterpiece) and their first one.

I loved Everything The Haunted did until this album, Unseen. It is seriously fucking bad.

There is one song that is somewhat good, The City. Everything else fucking sucks. And I'm being nice about it.

Here's the single if you need proof....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUHtgyC7Y7I

This is not a joke, this is the first single released

[Ultimetalhead]

I'd have to say the new Primus album.  It simply sucks! Hard!

Assuming you aren't speaking in typical Primus fanspeak, your username precedes you.

Anyway, this year was the definition of a mixed bag. The good albums are fucking awesome, and the bad albums are pretty horrendous. Off the top of my head, Opeth, Megadeth, Symphony X, Metardica, Steven Wilson, and Morbid Angel all left much to be desired. Granted, I knew the Metallica thing was going to flop, but it was even worse than I expected.

[dongringo]

I knew the Metallica thing was going to flop, but it was even worse than I expected.

I really like Lulu. For one thing, it's not really a Metallica album rather a Lou Reed album with Metallica. Funny how most people hate it, but there are a few of us who love it, no in between. But I guess this is a topic for another thread.

Carry on.

[dethklok09]

A dramatic turn of events easily
There was only a few points that even really sparked my interest.

[LCArenas]

I loved Everything The Haunted did until this album, Unseen. It is seriously fucking bad.
There is one song that is somewhat good, The City. Everything else fucking sucks. And I'm being nice about it.
Here's the single if you need proof....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUHtgyC7Y7I
This is not a joke, this is the first single released

Oh boy. It does suck. I've heard most of the album now. I mean there are some half-decent songs but... You're completely right. Disappointment. This sounds so bland and generic compared to the sheer aggressiveness and hate that I loved in former The Haunted releases. Yeah, I liked The City; and Never Better and Disappear to a certain degree (The Skull would be a great song without that awful first minute). But this is definitely a disappointment.

[JRundquist]

I loved Everything The Haunted did until this album, Unseen. It is seriously fucking bad.
There is one song that is somewhat good, The City. Everything else fucking sucks. And I'm being nice about it.
Here's the single if you need proof....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUHtgyC7Y7I
This is not a joke, this is the first single released

Oh boy. It does suck. I've heard most of the album now. I mean there are some half-decent songs but... You're completely right. Disappointment. This sounds so bland and generic compared to the sheer aggressiveness and hate that I loved in former The Haunted releases. Yeah, I liked The City; and Never Better and Disappear to a certain degree (The Skull would be a great song without that awful first minute). But this is definitely a disappointment.

The only thing that makes albums like these worthwhile is the fact it gives the band a realization that need to stop sucking or quit. 

[adace]

Dredg and Children of Bodom stick out in my mind. Both their new albums had some good tracks but were overall pretty forgettable. Lulu on the other hand had no good tracks and is easily the worst of the year but I knew right from hearing/watching Lou Reed perform with Metallica at the RRHOF show that it couldn't possibly have been good.

[Dark Castle]

I thought Children of Bodom's new album was really good. 

[ZKX-2099]

I really like Lulu. For one thing, it's not really a Metallica album rather a Lou Reed album with Metallica. Funny how most people hate it, but there are a few of us who love it, no in between.

I'm in between.

I will say I was more interested by Lulu than Heritage.