JRundquist's 2012 Music Year In Review

[crazyaga]

I would rate the new GY!BE album 9/10.

[JRundquist]

Gorod was one of the albums I took out at the last minute simply because I thought I was going to have enough time to review it properly, but was not able to.

I was planning on starting the top 20 earlier today, but was not able to. In a couple hours I will start.

But I am going to be a total dick and do the top 20 one album per post (But not per day that's way too mean).

[Dark Castle]

D:
oh no 

[JRundquist]

That is not to say that I don't have and enjoyed it. but once I'm done with the top 20 I reviewed 354 albums...some great albums I had to pass up just for lack of time. Unfortuneately that is one of them. I know there is plenty of other Rock, metal, Indie, Post, etc albums that are quite big that I haven't even heard yet, but can you really blame me? haha

The top 20 will start in just a few minutes, I just wanna make sure I have the top 20 int he right order, then i'll be getting to work.

[JRundquist]

Here we go, folks. THE TOP 20 OF 2012!!!!!!!!!........!



20.) Abigail Williams- Becoming

Abigail Williams is one of those bands that are real unsung heroes of mine. A band I don't talk about much, but have influenced me in more ways than i can imagine. In fact Abigail Williams was my first in person interview, taken place back in February. Becoming is the album I wish Abigail Williams would have made back when they started. it is the right kind of Black Metal in my eyes. Yes it is very much atmospheric Black Metal, but it also contains traditional Black Metal and some real Avant Garde moments. the 17 minute closer, Beyond the Veil is not only their best song, it is one of the best Black Metal songs ever laid on record. Many complain about the band changing their sound on every album. I say they are writing the music they wanna play. When you force an album it will suck, so it is always better to make music you want to make, and that's what Abigail Williams does, and I hope they do actually stick around.

[Ultimetalhead]

I saw Abigail Williams live. They were opening for Deicide and a bunch of other death metal bands, so comparatively it was a bit of a snoozefest.

[JRundquist]

Before I got into number 19....

Abigail Williams didn't want to be on that tour int eh first place, they were forced onto it. So they played a set that they knew Death Metal fans wouldn't like. Not saying that was the thing to do but I find that pretty damn funny.

[Ultimetalhead]

Well, it worked. Everyone was bored shitless.  Then Jungle Rot came out and made it all better. I had never heard a single note of theirs, but they put on a whopper of a show.

[Dark Castle]

Jungle Rot's a fucking sweet band.

[Ultimetalhead]

Yeah they are. I still haven't checked out any of their studio releases, but they remain one of the highlights of my concert experiences.

[JRundquist]

Jungle Rot is from Wisconsin!


But on that note....

19.) For the Imperium- For The Imperium

Finland has been known to have some of the best music the world has ever known. A couple years ago, Finland gave us For The Imperium. The best way I can describe them is Avant Garde Pop Metal. It has influences all across the board of Pop music all while having a very Hard Rock and Metal tinge to it. It's so very diverse when you listen to songs like Pike River, Working Class Heroine, and Creator for examples. Yes these songs are older than 2012, but the album just came out this year and they are already done making, mixing and mastering their brand new album for 2013 which i have a good feeling will m\be even bigger and better. Check out this fantastic album before they take America by storm.

[JRundquist]

18.) Brendon Small- Brendon Small's Galaktikon

This is an album I wish Brendon Small would have made for years. In a nutshell it is Dethklok without the screams. But to look farther into it, it is a sci-fi concept album that is based in Progressive Rock, Alternative Rock, and of course Dethklok style instrumentation. When you read the lyrics it's a pretty damn funny story that I won't ruin in this review. If you dig anything about Brendon Small, this is the album for you. As much as I love Dethklok, and I do love Dethklok, this is the kind of album after my own heart. That is why it is ranked so high. Prog fans, get this and enjoy!

[Nel]

Damn it, I keep forgetting that Brendan Small album exists! Really wanted to check it out when I heard about it.

[SoundscapeMN]

anyone into Avant Garde music, really should check out For the Imperium. If not now, when their new record drops early next year.

[JRundquist]

17.) Anaal Nathrakh- Vanitas

Usually nothing ever this extreme makes it to my top 20. I love the extreme Death metal, Black Metal, Grindcore, etc. But it's never usually anything I call top material....until I got into Anaal Nathrakh. I got into them last year with their last album, Passion and it is a killer album that I didn't REALLY appreciate until this year. Upon first listen you think 'WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" then if you get enough courage you explore more of it, and you realize how brilliant the music is. like I said twice this is an extreme album, but the cleans on this album make it so worth the other vocals. The musicality of this album is also beyond phenomenal and precise. All you need to do is hear the song Forging Towards The Sunset to understand the brilliance, the last 30 seconds is the most insane thing I've heard on record. This is not an album for everyone, but it is for those who can appreciate it.

[JRundquist]

16.) The Contortionist- Intrinsic

When I heard The Contortionist's first album, Exoplanet, I was floored. I was hearing Deathcore moments, mixed with Progressive Metal. What the Hell is that? Haha, I wasn't sure what to expect with their new album. Well I was even more pleasently surprised. The Deathcore is well under 10% of the album and the album is very ambient and Cynic sounding. It's a Prog Metal album with a few Deathcore riffs, and very relaxing for a Metal album. This is the kind of music you put on when you want to kick back and relax, while having the option to headbang. Musically, its stellar, vocally it has improved even more, and overall, i hope these guys will be considered this generation's Cynic, because they really, really are. Check them out!

[JRundquist]

15.) Arctic Sleep- Arbors

This....this is one of the bet discoveries of the year for me. Only one other band beats this on the top 20 scale for new discoveries, but not by much (Only one spot actually). This is the band that sounds like a supergroup of the Ocean, Scale the Summit and Alcest. No screams or growls or squeals. All clean vocals. It's an atmospheric, kinda sludgy, Progressive, Instrumental driven (but again all clean vocals on songs that have vocals) Post Rock/Metal. I got this album out of a suggestion for Wisconsin based Metal bands, and within 3 songs I was in total love. And if you like any of the 3 bands I said, you will love this too. It is so brilliantly written, and unfortunately unknown, please check this out on bandcamp. I can't imagine anyone hearing this and hating it. Possibly say it's meh because they aren't into the style, but for those that do, this will shoot to the top of your lists.

14.) Obsidian Kingdom- Mantiis

This is the other discovery of the year that made my jaw drop to the ground. I still try to put my finger on how to describe this accurately, but one of my friends did perfectly....If Porcupine Tree started making Progressive Post Black Metal. this FREE album is perfection from start to finish. It is a concept album made out to be a Black Metal Opera of sorts. without going into what the album is about (you should do that for yourself, its great) musically it captures almost all of my favorite genres into one band and rather then sounding like a hodgepodge of music, it flows together so naturally and beautifully. Please check this out on bandcamp, if for no other reason...IT IS FREE! You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain!

[Orthogonal]

Listening to Obsidian Knight now, how could I pass up a free album 

btw, what was 15?

[JRundquist]

Listening to Obsidian Knight now, how could I pass up a free album 

btw, what was 15?

CRAP! sorry about that. I added it to the post about Obsidian Kingdom.

[JRundquist]

Last three tonight. Top 10 tomorrow...

13.) Converge- All We Love We Leave Behind

Converge pretty much started the real version of Metalcore. Not your asking Alexandria crap that kids under 21 think about, or even when I started getting into metal with Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and God Forbid. REAL Metalcore. Where it combines Hardcore, Punk over Metal riffs. To me this is in 3rd place for Converge albums behind Jane Doe and Axe to Fall (1st and 2nd place respectively). This is pure raw album (although it has great production), in a lot of way it really sounds like Converge live, in the studio. In a lot of ways this is a more Melodic album, but it is just as Chaotic as ever before. At nearly 40 minutes, it's the perfect length of controlled chaos. Converge gets it right every single time!

12.) The Faceless- Autotheism

The Faceless has been my favorite Technical Death Metal band since the first album. the first album is still widely regarded as their best, the second sounded too much like Prog and Cynic to some (I for one love every second of it). Autotheism is even more Prog and diverse. Everything from James Hetfield style clean vocals, to Mike Patton style madness all over Prog Metal and of course their brand of Technical Death Metal. Some either hate it and find it boring, or they love it to death. As you may have guessed, I love it to death! They only keep getting bigger and better and now with Wes Hauch now on guitar, the next album will be even more insane, if that was possible. Check out this amazing Progressive Technical Death Metal album, it may get overlooked in the future, but it should be regarded highly!

11.) Enslaved- RIITIIR

Another split audience reception album. I see a lot of dislike for this album because it is not enough Black Metal and too much Prog. First I laugh at that, and second, this is my favorite Enslaved album! Enslaved since the time of Ruun has been mastering the Progressive Black Metal sound. Since that time have been getting more and more Proggy over the year. I fail to see how that is a bad thing. If you can withstand Black Metal even a tiny bit, you will soon realize that Roots Of The Mountain is possibly the greatest song with Black Metal influence ever. The entire album is the right amount of Progressive Black Metal in my eyes. It's also a perfect starter album for those that want to venture into Black Metal but need an album to ease into the genre. Go for this one and enjoy every second of it, especially Roots Of the Mountain.

[Orthogonal]

I just had to chime in again on the Obsidian Knight album. Really good stuff, kind of on the short side in both song and album length, but for a free album this fits the bill to get some exposure. I don't know how you find all these bands, but I'm glad you did.

[Dr. DTVT]

13 and 12 are

and Arctic Sleep sounds interesting since I like The Ocean, StS, and Alcest.

[JRundquist]

13 and 12 are

and Arctic Sleep sounds interesting since I like The Ocean, StS, and Alcest.

Something strange is going on, Maybe I was posting too fast or something and didn't realize it? But they are up there now on the last post. I thought I was waiting long enough for each post. I guess not. 

[lonestar]

Dude, Obsidian Kingdom is fucking brutal.

[Dr. DTVT]

I gorgot to add that RIITIIR is fucking awesome.

[pain of occupation]

Checked out anaal nathrakh circa a year back...only music that's ever made me feel I needed to puke.

New The Faceless was one of my disappointments (loved planetary duality) of the year. Think the clean vox bothered me. To be fair, I didn't give it many chances. I should give it another try today.

[Ultimetalhead]

The Faceless kind of pissed me off with that song that's basically a copypaste of The Mighty Masturbator's first section.

[JRundquist]

Bummed to see the disappointment in The Faceless, but like I said, not unexpected.

I'm just finishing up eating dinner then I will be posting the top 10. Anyone got any ideas of what will be in the top 10?

[Orthogonal]

Have yet to see Big Big Train - English Electric Part One. That has got to be on there.

[Ultimetalhead]

Fucking Epicloud had better be there.

[Orthogonal]

Threshold - March of Progress certainly could make it too.
Anathema - Weather Systems, Don't know how I forgot this one. One of the best new discoveries I made this year.

[Dark Castle]

Bummed to see the disappointment in The Faceless, but like I said, not unexpected.

I'm just finishing up eating dinner then I will be posting the top 10. Anyone got any ideas of what will be in the top 10?

This, I thought Autotheism was brilliant

[JRundquist]

I didn't know Big Big Train had a new album this year. FUUUUUUU

[JRundquist]

Alright before I post my top 10. I realized I made a huge mistake. Although fortunately it does not affect the top 20....So it's really 355 albums altogether this year.....

355) Meshuggah- Koloss

Meshuggah has been one of the most influential bands in recent times, although since 2009, have been getting a lot of hate for supposedly being the reason why bands wanna play Chug Chug riffs and created Djent music. That's not fair. That's like Blaming Black Sabbath for Asking Alexandria's success. But I digress. Koloss is one of the most versatile Meshuggah albums probably since Nothing. That was one of the best decisions they ever could have made. that is not to say Meshuggah hasn't been versatile int he past, but Obzen got pretty samey after a while,. Koloss is fresh every single time all while sounding like Meshuggah. It's a great piece of Prog/Math Meta. If you ask the average Djent fan, they will say Meshuggah ripped off Periphery. If you ask Devin Townsend...in the end, we've all ripped off Meshuggah. Get this

9.5/10

[Orthogonal]

I didn't know Big Big Train had a new album this year. FUUUUUUU

Looks like you'll need  11 albums in your top 10 then.