JRundquist's 2012 Music Year In Review

[Accelerando]

200.) Tremonti- All I Was

One of the best Hard Rock albums of the year. Besides Creed. Mark Tremonti can do no wrong. He plays guitar and lead vocals on this album, and he excels at both with precision. It's nearly criminal that not many people know about this album, and the fact the majority will not love this album like they do with Creed and Alter Bridge (this generation's best Hard Rock band) This is heavy as Hell, and also commercial enough to sell. This should be win win for both sides. Give it a fair shot, it is very damn badass!

9/10

I love that this made your list! And you're right, not a lot of people know about it. I think Wish You Well and You're So Afraid should get some of of the metal heads in this forum banging their heads a bit 

[JRundquist]

Here we go...


10.) Baroness- Yellow & Green

This is by far the lightest Baroness release so far, but it is also the most diverse. This double EP album (on one disc) is a great showcase of the real talent behind Baroness, Yellow is more along the lines of the Baroness we all know and love, Proggy, Sludge Metal. Green is a lot more laid back and ambient overall. When listened to all at once, it is a moving experience. A lot like Torche in a sense, there is so much going on, all while keeping a simplistic overtone that keeps you interested. It's moving music, and oddly enough after the bus accident they were all involved in just a little bit after the release of this album songs like March To The Sea and Take My Bones Away eerily fit the situation. Overall this is Progressive Ambient Sludge Metal album that should be loved by almost all. Give it a shot if you haven't already!

[JRundquist]

9.) Torche- Harmonicraft

Poppy, Punkish, Stoner, Doom, Metal. I still don't feel like I hit every aspect of the band with that. If U2, Motorhead and Electric Wizard made a band, that's almost good enough description. Torche has been one of my favorite bands since 2008 when I saw them open for Dredg (you read that right) and I've been hooked. Every album has been getting progressively less Stoner Doom Metalish and more into....well the Pop world. Harmonicraft has a lot of happy major key moments, but near the end has some of the heaviest moments of Torche's career. It's all over the map, but it all makes since. If you wanna explore new territory all with it being either Heavy as hell, or very very poppy. Get Harmonicraft!

[JRundquist]

8.) Ihsahn- Eremita

I never would have thought that Ihsahn could top After in 2010. But not only did he top After, he made one of the best albums of his entire career. this is Ihsahn's 4 solo album after the fall of Emperor and every album has gotten progressively better. After was one of my favorite albums of 2010 with all the craziness of the saxophones, and beauty of the other songs. with Eremita, he got it pegged perfectly. If he only remakes this album over and over again, I will continue to buy every future release. It has the right amount of everything. Prog, Black Metal, Chaos, Beauty, saxophone, and guest appearances from the likes of Devin Townsend and Jeff Loomis. This is the kind of album that artists should strive to make. the music you actually want to make without the worry if people will like it or not, the more real an album is, the better it will be. Ihsahn proves that if yous tick to your guns, you will achieve perfection!

[JRundquist]

7.) Periphery- Periphery II: This Time It's Personal

This is the album that killed Djent. I mean that in the absolute best way possible. Although it hasn't happened yet, you will see the affects of this album. Periphery took their sound and make it into Prog Metal gold. The Djent riffs are nearly gone. They are what Djent really is, not the chug chug sound, but Prog Metal. There are many people who hate this album without even hearing a note of it. I find that quite pathetic. This is such a killer album that a lot of people won't give the time of day, or will get ruined thanks to Djent fans. This is real Prog music that is heavy as hell and badass. Give it a real chance and take your stereotypes aside. You may be thankful you did.

[JRundquist]

6.) Between the Buried And Me- The Parallax II: Future Sequence

The continuation to last year's EP, The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues, BTBAM has outdone themselves again. I dare say this is the lightest BTBAM album to date, BUT it is still so very damn heavy. like Colors, I call this album Adult Contemporary Progressive Death Metal. At that it is so very layered in Prog Rock almost more than anything else, which a lot of newer fans do not like. I fail to understand why. guess the new era of Deathcore and Djent fans want all music to be brutal all the time or something. BTBAM can never let me down (except for the fact they haven't been to Minnesota since 2008, except for the upcoming tour with Coheed and Cambria in February) and this may be their crowning achievement. Listen tot his album with a clear, open mind, and you will hopefully understand why. They are one of the most underrated bands around, which is an odd thing to say but think about it, besides Colors, and the new rantings from Greg of Dillinger Escape Plan complaining about this album....how often do you actually hear about BTBAM and how good they are? Exactly!

[JRundquist]

5.) Woods Of Ypres- V: Grey Skies and Electric Light

The easiest way to describe this band is the Canadian Type O Negative, but even that feels very wrong. this is the 5th and sadly final album from Woods of Ypres as David Gold was killed December 22nd of 2011 in a car accident. the album feels like it is a pure requiem of Gold's life, before he even died. Songs such as Kiss My Ashes Goodbye brought me to tears (in fact the next few albums have for different reasons). This album recently helped me get though the rough time that was my cousin's death from a drug overdose. Sometimes the most depressing of albums (just listen lyrically) can be the most beautiful and uplifting. Which is why I find pop music to really be the most depressing music there is. But back to it. Woods Of Ypres is one of the best bands that not enough people knew about and now can only check out in retrospect. Give this album a listen and check out the rest of the discography. David Gold was one of the best Songwriters in Metal, R.I.P.

[Orthogonal]

How could I have forgotten BTBAM. Very good album, but for some reason it registers as heavier than Color's for me, even though it probably isn't.

[JRundquist]

4.) Alcest- Les Voyages de l'Âme

Since 2007, these guys have had a huge impact in my life. the most beautiful Post Metal out there. Souvenirs d'un autre monde is Post Rock, shoegaze perfection; Écailles de Lune is Post Black Metal at it's finest, but Les Voyages de l'Âme is the best of both worlds. I've read a lot of reviews saying this album lacked conviction and was boring with no heart..........WHAT ALBUM DID YOU HEAR? This is the best Alcest album to date, this is what I wanted from the band since 2007 when i discovered them, the right amount of Post Rock, Shoegaze, Post Metal and Black Metal all rolled in the most beautiful metal out there this year. Faiseurs de Mondes is most likely my favorite song of the year, or very damn close to it. the end of the song made me burst into tears on the first listen, you will never hear Blastbeats over something so beautiful and have the same impact ever again. this is also the last Alcest album that will contain any screams, it will be clean vocals from here on out. Not nessessarily a bad thing. But sometimes the screams adds so much to the music. But with Neige at the helm, Alcest will continue making the most beautiful Metal the world will know.

[JRundquist]

3.) Anathema- Weather Systems

Quite possibly the finest Atmospheric Progressive Rock album ever made. I know there is plenty of people who say We're Here Because We're Here is a better album and I personally don't agree. In fact some of you may remember me reviewing this album and saying I didn't get it. Not because they are no longer a Doom Metal band, but because it just didn't hit me at all. Weather Systems does by doing one thing differently. They added power to this album. it has the dynamics, emotion, beauty and overall musicianship that I want in a non-Metal band. The first song, Untouchable (broken up into 2 parts) is the last song on this list that makes me tear up every single time I hear it. It's like Anathema looked at my relationship life from July-December last year and wrote a song about it. It is about letting the girl who made my life feel complete go because I can't have her. Damn I'm actually starting to choke up a bit writing this up. The rest of the album is just as beautiful all the way through. this is not an album to rock out to, nor is it just background music. This is an album that will evoke emotions that even the most evil Black Metal guy can relate to. Needless to say, if you are looking for REAL music, this is the album to get. Just prepare for one of the most emotional experiences of your life if you really pay attention to it.

[Ultimetalhead]

Epicloud for #1. Bring it.

[JRundquist]

I am actually stuck here....I can't decide between the last two albums which one will be number 1 and which one will be number 2.


I'm about to do something I've never done before. I'm actually going to flip a coin to see which one I should rank higher...

[JRundquist]

2.) Ne Obliviscaris- Portal Of I

This is the most impressive debut album I have ever heard in my entire life. the short way to describe this band is Opeth with Violin. And even in talks with the band, they have said the same thing to describe their sound. But there is so much more to it than that. This was my first printed album review I ever did, which I think says a lot about how much I love it. As I described in that initial review I hear Opeth, Dream Theater and Alcest in this band in different ways. There is a lot of ethereal moments of dark and despair and the Black Metal elements that you hear in Opeth (early day Opeth anyways had a lot of Black Metal to it), you hear the musical technicality and Prog of Dream Theater, and the atmosphere and emotion you hear in Alcest. Although I could use the entire album as different examples I wanna make out what I feel is the greatest dynamic moment musically of 2012, Tapestry Of The Starless Abstract. The song, and the album starts off with a very badass drum fill I have to play every time I get behind my kit, and then when it kicks in give up about 15 seconds alter realizing I can't play that fast of double bass and blast beats for that long, haha. The song has 3 main sections to me, the first section which is pure progressive Black metal, the middle which is an atmospheric acoustic based passage, it almost turns into an ambient background moment, and then after a cymbal swell it turns into the greatest musical moment of 2012, the rest of the song! There is so much emotion in the ending of the song, the violin causes almost all of it, but it takes the vocals, drums, guitar and bass to also make it as beautiful as it is. and like the lyrics say near the end, "A New Paradise Found" That's how I view Ne Obliviscaris. I could go on to describe the rest of the album with the same detail, but why spoil the album for you? Buy the album and promote these guys as much as possible. There are high hopes for a North American tour in 2013, let's make it happen! Ne Obliviscaris, The Future Of Progressive Metal!

[ColdFireYYZ]

I actually just downloaded this album from Amazon a couple of hours ago! Going to listen to it tomorrow morning. I'm not into black metal (to be fair, I've never really listened to any) but I really liked what I heard (Amazon samples and Of The Leper Butterflies) and it sounded very diverse musically.

[JRundquist]

1.) The Devin Townsend Project- Epicloud

Like you read about Ne Obliviscaris. I had to choose between this and Portal of I as the best album of 2012. I flipped a coin and Epicloud one 2/3 times. Epicloud symbolizes everything I hate about Mainstream FM radio. Every single song on Epicloud is Mainstream Radio friendly whether it be Hard Rock Radio or Top 40. I've heard to main consensuses about Epicloud, either it's an album that you can't skip a song or it's boring. It's the former for me by a mile. Even with the re-working of Kingdom off the album Physicist, all the music feels like it should be played at jam packed stadiums that Metallica plays, and besides lack of airplay (except from my show and select others) that is why it's not. It's poppy, catchy, Heavy, and the most positive album you may ever hear in Metal. Yes I am friends with the DTP (most specifically RVP) but that's not why this is number 1 for me. Part of it is yes, because I am a fanboy. but that's only a small part of it it. Unlike Deconstruction last year which filled the void of the Strapping Young Lad style chaos, Epicloud captures what I loved about Accelerated Evolution and Terria (the two albums I first bought of Devin) and of course without saying this has the Addicted vibe as well. But I actually prefer Epicloud as it is a bit more diverse and int he style of music that grabs me. Not that Addicted doesn't, but I will say there are a couple songs from Addicted I do skip like Resolve. I can't do that with Epicloud. If on the upcoming tour Dev only plays songs from Epicloud, I will be going just as crazy as if he played anything else.

Now as it says in the song Liberation.....IT'S TIME TO FORGET ALL THE BULLSHIT AND ROCK!!!!


Thread Retrospective, The TL;DR Album Rankings and other thoughts will be coming soon!

[Orthogonal]

Damn fine top 3 there, all album's I picked up this year. 

I can't decide which is best of them since they are all so good for different reasons, but I do agree that Portal of I is one of the best debut's ever. Their song Forget Not is a creative masterpiece, never heard anything quite like it.

Btw, did I miss your review of Threshold - March of Progress? Or was it not on your list.

I actually just downloaded this album from Amazon a couple of hours ago! Going to listen to it tomorrow morning. I'm not into black metal (to be fair, I've never really listened to any) but I really liked what I heard (Amazon samples and Of The Leper Butterflies) and it sounded very diverse musically.

There is a fair amount of harsh vocal's on the album, but it is not overbearing in the least, they strike a very nice balance of clean/harsh.

[IamFabio]

Just wanted to chime in for the first time ever here to say that this was my favorite thread I've followed in my few years of lurking about here. I'll definitely follow your musical journey in 2013 as well should you create a running thread. Thanks for taking the time. 

Some of my favorites that I checked out thanks solely to you include: Skyharbor, Hung, Earthlimb and Breach the Void.

Your descriptions and comparisons really helped me to pinpoint the ones that I knew I would enjoy.

 

[JRundquist]

Damn fine top 3 there, all album's I picked up this year. 

I can't decide which is best of them since they are all so good for different reasons, but I do agree that Portal of I is one of the best debut's ever. Their song Forget Not is a creative masterpiece, never heard anything quite like it.

Btw, did I miss your review of Threshold - March of Progress? Or was it not on your list.

I actually just downloaded this album from Amazon a couple of hours ago! Going to listen to it tomorrow morning. I'm not into black metal (to be fair, I've never really listened to any) but I really liked what I heard (Amazon samples and Of The Leper Butterflies) and it sounded very diverse musically.

There is a fair amount of harsh vocal's on the album, but it is not overbearing in the least, they strike a very nice balance of clean/harsh.

Thank you good sir!

I have the Threshold album, but I didn't hear it enough to give it a fair shake.   

Just wanted to chime in for the first time ever here to say that this was my favorite thread I've followed in my few years of lurking about here. I'll definitely follow your musical journey in 2013 as well should you create a running thread. Thanks for taking the time. 

Some of my favorites that I checked out thanks solely to you include: Skyharbor, Hung, Earthlimb and Breach the Void.

Your descriptions and comparisons really helped me to pinpoint the ones that I knew I would enjoy.

 

Wow thank you very much. I really truly appreciate it. That is what I've been striving to do.

[JRundquist]

...and now the Wrap Up!


JRundquist's Top 20 of 2012:

20.) Abigail Williams- Becoming (Atmospheric Black Metal)
19.) For the Imperium- For The Imperium (Experimental Hard Rock)
18.) Brendon Small- Brendon Small's Galaktikon (Progressive Metal)
17.) Anaal Nathrakh- Vanitas (Experimental Extreme Metal)
16.) The Contortionist- Intrinsic (Progressive Metal, Deathcore)
15.) Arctic Sleep- Arbors (Post Metal, Sludge Metal, Post Rock, Progressive Metal)
14.) Obsidian Kingdom- Mantiis (Progressive Black Metal)
13.) Converge- All We Love We Leave Behind (Mathcore, Metalcore)
12.) The Faceless- Autotheism (Technical Death Metal, Progressive Death Metal)
11.) Enslaved- RIITIIR (Viking Metal, Progressive Death Metal)
10.) Baroness- Yellow & Green (Sludge Metal, Sludge Rock)
9.) Torche- Harmonicraft (Stoner, Sludge, Hardcore, Punk, Pop, Rock)
8.) Ihsahn- Eremita (Progressive Black Metal)
7.) Periphery- Periphery II: This Time It's Personal (Progressive Metal)
6.) Between the Buried And Me- The Parallax II: Future Sequence (Adult Contemporary Progressive Death Metal)
5.) Woods Of Ypres- V: Grey Skies and Electric Light 9Goth Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal)
4.) Alcest- Les Voyages de l'Âme 9Post Metal Black Metal, Blackgaze)
3.) Anathema- Weather System (Atmospheric Progressive Rock)
2.) Ne Obliviscaris- Portal Of I (Progressive Black Metal)
1.) The Devin Townsend Project- Epicloud (Progressive Metal, Pop Rock)




That Drummer Guy's TL'DR List Of Everything Else Reviewed:

10/10:
Pyramid Theorem- Pyramid Theorem

9.5/10:
God Forbid- Equilibrium (Metalcore)
Vertigo Steps- Surface/Light (Progressive Metal)
Atoma- Skylight (Atmospheric Progressive Death Metal)
Flying Colors- Flying Colors (Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal)
PostHumanBigBang- PostHumanBigBang (Progressive Metal)
Ancients- Star Showers On The Euphrates (Post Rock)
Testament- Dark Roots Of Earth (Thrash Metal)
Jazzkamikaze- The Return of Jazzkamikaze (Instrumental Jazz Rock/Metal)
Loch Vostok- V: The Doctrine Decoded (Symphonic Progressive Black Metal)
Paradise Lost- Tragic Idol (Gothic Metal)
Van Halen- A Different Kind Of Truth (Hard Rock)
Beardfish- The Void (Progressive Metal)
Krallice- Years Point Matters (Experimental Black Metal)
Rush- Clockwork Angels (Progressive Rock)
Goatwhore- Blood For The Master (Blackened Thrash Metal)
Cannibal Corpse- Torture (Death Metal)
Municipal Waste- The Fatal Feast (Crossover Thrash)
Trioscapes- Seperate Realities (Jazz Fusion, Metal)
Horrendous- The Chills (Death Metal)
Arbor- The Plutonian Shore (Atmospheric Folk Progressive Black Metal)
Katatonia- Dead End Kings (Progressive Goth Metal)
Winterfylleth- The Threnody Of Triumph (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Daylight Dies- Frail Becoming (Progressive Death Metal)
Dragged Into Sunlight- Widowmaker (Doom Metal)
Dimension Act- Manifestation Of Progress (Progressive Metal)
Against The Wall- Things Are Not Like They Said (Alternative Progressive Metal)
Lehto & Wright- November (Folk, Progressive Rock)
Ancestors- In Dreams And Time (Psychedelic Metal)
Anglagard- Viljars Oga (Progressive Rock)
In Mourning- The Weight Of Oceans (Melodic Progressive Death Metal)
Agalloch- Faustian Echoes (Folk Metal, Black Metal, Post Metal)
Meshuggah- Koloss (Math Metal)

9/10:
Circus Maximus- Nine (Progressive Metal)
Corrosion Of Conformity- Corrosion Of Conformity (Hardcore)
House Of Fools- Versus The Beast (Alternative Progressive Rock)
Klone- The Dreamer's Hideaway (Alternative Progressive Metal)
Stone Sour- House Of Gold & Bones Part 1 (Hard Rock)
Mental Architects- Celebrations (Math Rock, Post Rock)
The Seer- The Prologue (Progressive Black Metal)
Napalm Death- Utilitarian (Death Metal, Grindcore, Noise)
Bend Sinister- Small Frame (Alternative Progressive Rock)
Stealing Axion- Moments (Progressive Metal/Djent)
Skyharbor- Blinding White Noise: Illusion And Chaos (Progressive Metal)
Krisiun- Arise From Blackness (Death Metal)
The Darkness- Hot Cakes (Hard Rock)
Siamese Fighting Fish- Breathe: See: Move (Alternative Progressive Metal)
Call Me No One- Last Parade (Alternative Metal)
Stolen Babies- Naught (Experimental Metal)
Prong- Carved Into Stone (Thrash Metal, Hard Rock, Industrial)
Grave- Endless Procession Of Souls (Death Metal)
Pepe Deluxe- Queen Of The Wave (Alternative Rock)
Eluveitie- Halvetios (Folk Metal)
Dethklok- Dethalbum III (Melodic Death Metal)
Asphyx- Deathammer (Death Metal)
Minus The Bear- Infinity Overload (Indie/Alternative Rock)
Cloudkicker- Fade (Instrumental Progressive Metal/Alternative)
Moonloop- Deeply From The Earth (Progressive Death Metal)
New Death Sensation- ...New Horizons... (Instrumental Post Metal)
Borknagar- Urd (Progressive Black Metal)
Sylencer- A Lethal Dose Of Truth (Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal)
The 11th Hour- Lacrima Mortis (Doom Metal)
Gatherer- So Be It (Alternative Rock/Metal)
Andre Matos- The Turn Of Lights (Progressive Power Metal)
Mono- For My Parents (Post Rock)
Adaliah- Broken Families (Deathcore, Djent, Hardcore)
Astra- The Black Chord (Heavy Progressive Rock)
Terrorizer- Hordes Of Zombies (Death Metal, Grindcore)
Merkaba- A Lament For The Lamb (Math Metal, Improv Jazz)
Twelve Foot Ninja- Silent Machine 9Progressive Metal, Djent)
Havok- Point Of No Return (Thrash Metal)
Overkill- The Electric Age (Thrash Metal)
Earthrise- Eras Lost (Post Metal)
Bane- The Acasual Fire (Black Metal)
Down- Down IV Part 1- The Purple EP (Stoner Metal)
Tremonti- All I Was (Hard Rock, Speed Metal)
Panopticon- Kentucky (Folk Metal, Bluegrass)
Star Monarchy- Volume I (Progressive Metal, Djent)
Pallbearer- Sorrow And Extinction (Doom Metal)
Effloresce- Coma Ghosts (Female Fronted Progressive Death Metal)
Bison B.C.- Lovelessness (Progressive Sludge Metal)
Sabaton- Carolus Rex (Power Metal)
Sigh- In Somniphobia (Experimental Black Metal)
Suffer Well- Sorrows (Blackened Metalcore)
Troglodyte- Don't Go In the Woods (Brutal Death Metal)
Arjen Anthony Lucassen- Lost To The New Real (Progressive Power Metal)
Secrets of the Moon- Seven Bells (Black Metal)
Neal Morse- Momentum (Progressive Rock)
Sear Bliss- Eternal Recurrence (Symphonic Black Metal)
The Sword- Apocryphon (Progressive Doom Metal)
Hooded Menace- Effigies of Evil (Doom Metal)
Black Country Communion- Afterglow (Progressive Rock, Classic Rock, Hard Rock)
Old Man Gloom- NO (Doom Metal, Post Metal)
Soundgarden- King Animal (Hard Rock)
Blut Aus Nord- 777- Cosmosophy (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Cloudscape- New Era (Progressive Power Metal)
A Hero, A Fake- The Future Again (Progressive Metalcore)
Panzerballet- Tank Goodness (Progressive Jazz Metal)
Emmanuel And The Fear- The Janus Mirror (Progressive, Alternative Rock)
Abraham- The Serpent, The Prophet, The Whore (Sludge Metal)
Ensiferum- Unsung Heroes (Viking Metal)
Oedipus- Viscous Little Smile (Experimental Hard Rock)
Undersmile- Narwhal (Doom Metal)
Words Of Farewell- Immersion (Progressive Death Metal)
Wintersun- Time I (Melodic Death Metal)
Neurosis- Honor Found in Decay (Post Metal)
Gojira- L'Enfant Sauvage (Groove Metal)
Candlemass- Psalms Of the Dead (Doom Metal, Heavy Metal)
In The Silence- A Fair Dream Gone Mad (Dark Progressive Metal)
Corrosion Of Conformity- Megalodon (Hardcore, Stoner Metal)
Drudkh- Eternal Turn of The Wheel (Atmospheric Black Metal)


8/10:
The Night Flight Orchestra- Internal Affairs (Classic Rock, Prog Rock)
Vaura- Selenelion (Experimental Metal)
Les Discrets- Ariettes Oubliees (Post Rock)
Hung- Hung (Progressive Death Metal)
Stick To Your Guns- Diamond (Punk Rock, Hardcore)
Unleashed- Odalheim (Viking Metal, Death Metal)
The Elijah- I Loved I Hated I Destroyed I Created (Post Hardcore)
Spawn Of Possession- Incurso (Technical Death Metal)
Primal Rock Rebellion- Awoken Broken (Heavy Metal, Hard Rock)
Judgement Day- Polar Shift (String Metal)
Bejelit- Emerge (Power Metal)
Soulfly- Enslaved (Groove Metal)
Liam- MMIX (Post Rock, Shoegaze)
Oddland- The Treachery Of Senses (Progressive Metal)
Fire And Ice- Not Of This Earth (Hardcore)
Mysteriarch- Mournful Embrace of Aeons (Symphonic Black Metal)
Gaza- No Absolutes In Human Suffering (Sludge Metal, Grindcore)
Ex Deo- Caligvla 9Death Metal, Roman Inspired)
Empires Of Eden- Channeling The Infinite (Power Metal)
Wake Of Redemption- Earthshaker 9PRogressive Metal)
Earthlimb- Origin (Instrumental Progressive Metal)
Carach Angren- Where The Corpses Sink Forever (Experimental Black Metal)
T.R.A.M.- Lingua Franca (Jazz Fusion, Instrumental Metal)
Towards Darkness- Barren (Funeral Doom Metal)
Fornorst Arnor- The Death Of A Rose (Progressive Death Metal)
Shadows Fall- Fire From The Sky (Metalcore, Thrash Metal)
My Dying Bride- A Map Of All Our Failure (Doom Metal)
The Pilgrim- Misery Wizard (Doom Metal)
Pig Destroyer- Book Burner (Grindcore)
Eye Empire- Impact (Alternative Metal)
Suspyre- Suspyre 9Symphonic Progressive Metal)
Dumbsaint- Something That You Feel Will Find Its Own Form (Post Rock)
Swallow The Sun- Emerald Forest And The Blackbird (Folk Metal)
Breach The Void- The Monochromatic Era (Cyber/Modern Metal)
Screaming Savior- Infinity (Symphonic Black Metal)
Barren Earth- The Devil's Resolve (Folk Metal)
De Profoundus- The Emptiness Within (Progressive Thrash Folk Metal)
The Cory Smoot Experiment- When Worlds Collide (Progressive Metal)
Deathspell Omega- Drought (Progressive Black Metal)
Taproot- The Episodes (Hard Rock)
Crippled Black Phoenix- (Mankind) The Crafty Ape (Post Rock)
Yossi Sassi- Melting Clocks (Progressive Rock)
Lethian Dreams- Season Of Raven Words (Atmospheric Doom Metal)
Zero Absolu- Automn (Post Rock, Electronica)
Dragonforce- The Power Within (Power Metal)
Hurt- The Crux (Hard Rock)
Maserati- Maserati VII (Post Rock, Instrumental, Electronica)
Hammer Horde- Vinlander (Viking Metal)
Master- The New Elite (Death Metal)
Cattle Decapitation- Monolith of Inumanity (Death Metal, Grindcore)
Diablo Swing Orchestra- Pandora's Pinata (Swing Metal)
Ash Borer- Cold Of Ages (Doom Metal, Black Metal)
The Safety Fire- Grind the Ocean (Progressive Metal)
Sigur Ros- Valtari (Post Rock)
Cryptopsy- Cryptopsy (Technical Death Metal)
Miss May I- At Heart (Metalcore)
Apathy- Ghost Light (Progressive Death Metal)
Weapon- Embers And Revelations (Black Metal)
Adrenaline Mob- Omerta (Hard Rock, Heavy Metal)
Nachtmystium- Silencing Machine (Black Metal)
Car Bomb- w^w^^w^w (Mathcore)
Devil Sold His Soul- Empire Of Light (Post Hardcore)
What the Blood Revealed- Harbour Of Devils (Post Rock)
Nile- At the Gates of Sethu (Technical Death Metal)
Vision Of Disorder- The Cursed Remain Cursed (Hardcore)
Elvenking- Era (Folk Metal, Power Metal)
Dying Fetus- Reign Supreme (Death Metal, Grindcore)
High On Fire- De Vermis Mysteriis (Stoner Metal)
From Oceans To Autumn- Oath Of Eternals (Post Metal)
Bad Salad- Uncivilized (Progressive Metal)
Mombu- Zombi (Jazz Metal, Djent)
The Mars Volta- Noctourniquet (Alternative Progressive Rock)
Bleeding Through- The Great Fire (Black Metalcore)
Save Us From The Archon- How terrible, the Undergrowth's Jaw Tangle (Djent Progressive Metal)
Shining- Redefining Darkness (Black Metal)
Primate- Draw Back A Stump (Grindcore, Hardcore, Crossover Thrash)
Kreator- Phantom Antichrist (Thrash Metal)
Microfilm- AF127 (Post Rock)
Wo Fat- The Black Code (Sludge Metal, Progressive Rock)
Morglbl- Brutal Romance (Instrumental Progressive Metal)
Counter-World Experience- Music For Kings (Instrumental Progressive Metal)
Wilton & Akerstache- Storm Corrosion (Of Love And Emotion) (Progressive Rock, Cheesy 80s Rock, Comedy Rock)
To-Mera- Exile- (Female Fronted Progressive Metal)
Pelican- Ataraxia/Taraxis- (Post Metal)
Angel Witch- As Above, So Below (NWOBHM)
A Sound Of Thunder- Out Of The Darkness (Heavy Metal, Power Metal)
The Casualties- Resistance (Punk Rock, Hardcore)
Horn Of The Rhino- Grengus (Stoner Doom Metal)
Marduk- Serpent Sermon (Black Metal)
Hypomanie- Calm Down, You Weren't Set On Fire (Instrumental Blackgaze)
Daniel Jakubovic- Surrounded By A Million Goats (Pop Rock, Alternative Progressive Metal)
Ahab- The Giant (Doom Metal)
Jute Gyte- Isolation (Black Metal)
Dysrhythmia- Test Of Submission (Instrumental Progressive Metal)
Legacy Of Disorder- Last Man Standing (Thrash Metal, Groove Metal)
Low-Pass- Trimurti (Post Rock, Math Rock)
Sylosis- Monolith (Thrash Metal)
Moonspell- Alpha Noir (Symphonic Death Metal, Thrash Metal)
Demon Hunter- True Defiance (Christian Metal)
Jeff Loomis- Plains Of Oblivion (Progressive Metal)
The Royal Veil- The Royal Veil (Alternative Progressive Rock)
Chrome Waves- Chrome Waves (Post Black Meal)
Blinded In Bliss- Constancy (Melodic Metalcore)
Christian Alvestram- Self 2.0 (Progressive Pop)
Mass Culture- Amoralism (Experimental Doom Metal)
Toundra- III (Post Rock)
Wanzwa- Wanzwa II (Instrumental Progressive Jazz Metal)
Hour Of Penance- Sedation (Death Metal)
Chimp Spanner- All Roads Lead Here (Instrumental Djent)


7/10:
Black Pyramid- II (Stoner/Sludge Doom Metal, Clean Vocals)
Gespenst- The Bloodline (Post Rock)
Propaghandi- Failed States (Punk Rock)
Coldworker- The Doomsayer's Call (Death Metal)
Wretched- Son Of Perdition (Death Metal)
3 Inches Of Blood- Love Live Heavy Metal (Heavy Metal)
Saint Vitus- Lillie: F-65 (Doom Metal)
All Hail The Yeti- All Hail The Yeti (Southern Groove Metal)
Eclipse Eternal- The Essence Of Hopelessness (Black Metal)
Red Lamb- Red Lamb (Alternative Metal)
Moonspell- Omega White (Goth Metal)
Oak Pantheon- From A Whisper (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Job For A Cowboy- Demonocracy (Death Metal)
Destinos- Fireflies For Fireworks (Djent)
Maladie- Plague Within (Epic Black Metal)
Fozzy- Sin and Bones (Heavy Metal, Hard Rock)
The Samuel Jackson Five- The Samuel Jackson 5 (Post Rock, Electronica)
Yakuza- Beyul (Experimental Metal)
Akphaezya- Anthology IV: The Tragedy Of Nerak (Experimental Metal)
Behold...The Arctopus- Horrorsension (Experimental Instrumental Metal)
Aborted- Global Flatline (Brutal Death Metal)
Meldrum- Lifer (Heavy Metal, Hard Rock)
Kristoffer Gildenlow- Rust (Progressive Rock)
Vesperian Sorrow- Stormwinds Of Ages (Symphonic Death Metal)
Slash- Apocalyptic Love (Hard Rock)
Naglfar- Teras (Black Metal)
Bonded By Blood- The Aftermath (Thrash Metal)
Monuments- Gnosis (Djent)
Dordeduh- Dar de Duh (Folk Metal)
If Trees Could Talk- Red Forest (Post Rock)
Holy Knights- Between Daylight and Pain (Epic Power Metal)
West Of Hell- Spiral Empire (Speed Metal, Heavy Metal)
Don't Worry I'm A Doctor- Create. Divide. Consume (Deathcore)
Axel Rudi Pell- Circle Of The Oath (Heavy Metal)
Korpiklaani- Manala (Folk Metal)
M-Pire Of Evil- Hell To The Holy (Blackened Thrash Metal)
Primalfrost- Chapters Of Time (Folk Metal)
Luna Amara- Pietre in Alb (Progressive Metal)
Psycroptic- The Inherited Repression (Technical Death Metal)
Ides Of Gemini- Constantinople (Sludge Metal, Black Metal)
Seven Kingdoms- The Fire Is Mine (Female Fronted Power Metal)
Lamb Of God- Resolution (Groove Metal)
Hail Spirit Noir- Pneuma (Black Metal)
As I Lay Dying- Awakened (Christian Metalcore)
Tenacious D- Rize Of The Fenix (Comedy Rock)
Beyond Terror Beyond Grace- Nadir (Djent, Doom Metal)
Worm Ouroboros- Come The Thaw (Post Rock)
Huntress- Spell Eater (Female Fronted Power Metal)
Whitechapel- Whitechapel (Deathcore)
I Am I- Event Horizon (Power Metal)
When Icarus Falls- Aegean (Post Metal)
Cyclamen- Memories, Voices (Djent)
AEGES- The Bridge (Post Hardcore)
Exumer- Fire & Domination (Thrash Metal)
Tyrant Of Death- Cyanide (Djent, Electronica, Progressive Metal)
Alice Through The Windshield Glass- Alice Through The Windshield Glass (Deathcore)
Kamelot- Silverthorn (Symphonic Progressive Power Metal)
NOFX- Self Titled (Punk Rock)
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder- Ghostmaker (Death Thrash Metal)
TesseracT- Perspective (Acoustic)
Primal Fear- Unbreakable (Power Metal)]
Self Spiller- Worms In the Keys (Experimental)
Whoretopsy- They Did Unspeakable Things (Death Metal)
Reflections- The Fantasy Effect (Djent)
Dublin Death Patrol- Death Sentence (Thrash Metal)
Tetrafusion- Horizons (Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal)
Fang Island- Major (Indie)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (Post Rock)


6/10:
Dol Ammand- Cosmic Gods Episode I: Hyperspeed (Djent, Power Metal)
Apocalipsis- Apocalipsis (Instrumental Sludge Metal/Post Metal)
Black Breath- Sentenced To Life (Blackened Death Metal)
Xandria- Neverworld's End (Female Fronted Symphonic Power Metal)
Narrows- Painted (Mathcore)
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza- IIII: The Alpha The Omega (Djent)
Amberian Dawn- Circus Black (Female Fronted Symphonic Metal)
Dirge Within- There Will Be Blood (Metalcore, Hard Rock)
Serj Tankian- Harakiri (Alternative Metal)
Chapel- Satan's Rock And Roll (Speed Metal, Black Metal)
Dantalion- Return To Deep Lethargy (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Dragony- Legends (Symphonic Power Metal)
Aviyn- Aviyn (Djent, Post Hardcore)
Just Like Vinyl- Black Mass (Experimental Alternative Metal)
Every Time I Die- Ex Lives (Hardcore)
God Seed- I begin (Black Metal)
The Levitation Hex (Thrash Metal, Death Metal)
Becoming The Archetype- I Am (Christian Metal)
Vanisher- Unbound (Hard Rock/Metal)
Tyrant Of Death- Re Connect (Industrial Djent)
Sybreed- God Is An Automation (Cyber/Modern Metal)
Knives Out!- Black Mass Hysteria (Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Industrial)
Veil Of Maya- Eclipse (Djent, Deathcore)


5/10:
Epica- Requiem Of The Indifferent (Female Fronted Symphonic Metal)
Fear Factory- The Industrialist (Industrial Metal)
Soen- Cognitive (Progressive Metal, Tool Meets Opeth)
Firewind- Few Against Many (Power Metal)
Coheed and Cambria- The Afterman: Ascension (Progressive Rock)
Manowar- The Lord Of Steel (Power Metal)
Evans Blue- Graveyard Of Empires (Hard Rock)
Constants- Pasiflora (Shoegaze)
A Life Once Lost- Ecstatic Trance (Groove Metalcore)
OSI- Fire Make Thunder- (Progressive Metal)
Semargl- Satanic Pop Metal (Satanic Pop Metal)
A Forest Of Stars- A Shadow Play for Yesterdays (Atmospheric Black Metal)


4/10:
Kayo Dot- Gamma Knife (Experimental Metal)
Exotic Animal Petting Zoo- Trees Of Tongues (Experimental Post Hardcore)
All That Remains- A War You Cannot Win (Hard Rock, Metalcore)
Jodis- Black Curtain (Drone)
Mnemic- Mnemisis (Modern Metal)


3/10:
Lacuna Coil- Adrenaline (Alternative Rock/Metal)
Shinedown- Amaryllis (Hard Rock)
Sonata Arctica- Stones Grow Her Name (Hard Rock, Power Metal)
Halestorm- the Strange Case Of... (Hard Rock)
Storm Corrosion- Storm Corrosion


2/10:
In This Moment- Blood (Hard Rock, Industrial, Dubstep)


1/10:
Muse- The 2nd Law (Alternative Rock)

[Orthogonal]

I have the Threshold album, but I didn't hear it enough to give it a fair shake.   

Well, you have some time to give it and Big Big Train - English Electric Pt 1 a few spins and then update this thread. My guess is they will be pushing into your top 20.

[Mladen]

1/10:
Muse- The 2nd Law (Alternative Rock)

But... I like this album so much... 

[Heretic]

Woo Anathema and NeO near the top! Awesome list man. You definitely put a lot of work into this and it shows, great stuff.

[JRundquist]

I wanna thank the people who dug this thread, those who who did find some great music, and those who are just lurking on the thread and discovering music. Regardless, i love doing this thread every year and enjoy every second of it.

To those who don't like it, suck it!


I do plan on starting the 2013 thread sometime near the end of January and going all year round so i don't have to review another 355 albums in a month and a half. As long as you guys still wanna see it, I'll keep doing this.

Happy Holidays, and enjoy some new music!

[lonestar]

Well I can say that I got two albums already just by casually following it. Wonder how much more money digging in  will cost me.


Two fantastic albums that I didn't see though were Beyond the Bridge- The Old Man and the Spirit and Secret Sphere- Portrait of a Dying Heart. Check those out, they are in my top 5 of the year easily.

[wolfking]

I just want to back up the positive comments regarding the new Faceless album, this was one of my biggest surprises of the year, it is absolutely incredible.  So underrated and IMO a big step up from their first two albums, which are both great nevertheless.  Possibly top 10 of the year for me.

[WindMaster]

Portal Of I is so awesome.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Portal Of I is so awesome.

Listened to it yesterday. Its pretty different than most of the music I listen to but I liked it a lot.

[JRundquist]

lonestar- I do plan on checking those out sometime this week now that I don't have the pressure of getting all these albums done to review. ic an actually sit back and enjoy music again, haha.

I can't say it enough, Ne Obliviscaris is the future of Prog Metal.

[JRundquist]

Just a reminder, just because I'm done with the year doesn't mean this thread has to die. Keep checking out the music on here and find some new music!

[countoftuscany42]

just from reading your top 10 today i listened to harmonicraft, good album \m/  my friend gave it to me months ago and i hadnt listened, glad i did!

[adace]

Really awesome list, enjoyed following it. In case you're interested, I found some great (mostly) metal releases from this year that you didn't mention.

Thy Catafalque - Rengeteg (technically from last year, but too awesome not to mention)
Svartidauoi - Flesh Cathedral
Fen - Dustwalker
Saturnian - Dimensions
Mutilation Rites - Empyrean 
Windhand - Windhand
Bell Witch - Longing
Witchcraft - Legend
Uncle Acid and the Dadbeats - Blood Lust
The Machine - Calmer Than You Are
Grouper - Violet Replacement

[JRundquist]

I will have to check some of those out as well.

[JRundquist]

Last Bump For 2012

[crazyaga]

You forgot an important album of 2012 though.
Swans - The Seer

Its the 1st album of 2012 in the charts of rateyourmusic:
https://rateyourmusic.com/customchart?page=1&chart_type=top&type=album&year=2012&genre_include=1&include_child_genres=1&genres=&include_child_genres_chk=1&include=both&origin_countries=&limit=none&countries=

[JRundquist]

Ne Obliviscaris was the top album on RYM for a while as well, I got that one.

I've heard of Swans before, and I will probably get to that one as well in 2013, till the end of the year, I'm letting my brain recharge and not worrying about discovering new music until I'm done with my Top 20 show on January 1st. Then I'm back to it for 2013 music and what I've missed out on this year.