241.) Municipal Waste- The Fatal Feast
The Best Crossover Thrash album of the year. Municipal Waste has never ever let me down, and this album proves that once again. For those that pay attention to my radio show. For most of my episodes, the song, You're Cut Off is the ending theme, very appropriately so. Nothing revolutionary about this album, it's crossover Thrash, but it's some of the best damn Crossover Thrash you'll hear all year, unless you discover older bands/album.
9.5/10
242.) TesseracT- Perspective
This is an acoustic focused E from the Djent/Prog Metal band featuring some reworkings of songs off the first album a couple new songs as well. For an acoustic EP, it is pretty well balanced, although without saying, one sided. for those that like a softer driven Prog Rock EP, this is it!
7/10
243.) Bleeding Through- The Great Fire
I haven't paid attention to Bleeding Through in a good long time. probably since Love in Slow Motion was a single....when the Hell did they add Black Metal to their style? It actually made them a very interesting band again. without the Black Metal influence, this would be a pretty standard Metalcore/Hardcore album, but with it, it adds a ton of dimensions that I wouldn't have ever guessed could be involved. Its a very damn good album, and I was never expecting to say that. Kudos!
8/10
244.) Save Us From The Archon- How terrible, the Undergrowth's Jaw Tangle
If Protest The Hero made Djenty Prog Metal....well even more so. There is even some Post Rock moments on this album as well.But this has the Protest The Hero proficiency over some Post Rock and Prog Metal. it's a very cool combination. Like Protest, it does get a bit one sided, but its very awesome to listen to in mall doses. I'm hoping by the time of their second album they will be huge, but this is fantastic debut album
8/10
245.) Arjen Anthony Lucassen- Lost To The New Real
Arjen can never do any wrong. every single one of his releases has been a Power Prog Metal epic masterpiece. This is no different. A concept album that rally strikes a nerve to those that hear it. Arjen takes all the styles he is known for and made it into one cohesive album The covers on this album as well are very badass. Of course like everything Arjen does, there is a level of cheese to it, but it is overshadowed by everything else this album has to offer. And look out for new Ayreon coming out in 2013!
9/10
246.) Shining- Redefining Darkness
As he title suggests, this is a dark, evil Black Metal album. the first of Shining's discography since the debut not to have a numbered album title attached to it. While I don't think they will ever match the truly sad, depressing Black Metal they did in their early days, this comes pretty damn close. The productrion is top notch (how does that work in Black Metal? haha) the songwriting is killer and everything about it is sheer, evil awesomeness. While many people either forgot, or didn't know about this album, they should check it out asap. It's so very well worth it.
8/10
247.) Primal Fear- Unbreakable
This was the first Power Metal album i heard this year. And it lives up to the Primal fear name. It's a fantastic album I don't hear anyone talk about. It has all the good and bad aspects in Power Metal that you eitehr love or hate. I happen to love it all (Manowar being an exception in some cases) but Primal fear does it right. They hit a home run with this one, pick it up if you haven't already.
7/10
248.) Primate- Draw Back A Stump
a Great album that very few have heard, featuring Bill from Mastodon. This is an awesome album that a mix of Crossover Thrash, Grindcore and Hardcore with some Sludge elements. my only downside to this album is that it ends way too quickly, it's only 20 minutes long, but that gives way for repeated listens. You can definitely hear a lot of Mastodon influence in this album, which is no way a bad thing. This is a killer EP, and if you like any of the genres listed, you should check this out immediately
8/10
249.) Kreator- Phantom Antichrist
One of the best things to ever come out of Germany, and what I wish Megadeth would have came if they stuck to their original style, KREATOR. there is no denying that they do have an AC/DC quality to them, their albums do sound a lot alike. But that works for some bands like AC/DC, Slayer, etc. Kreator pulls that off flawlessly and every album in that regard is equally enjoyable. Phantom Antichrist is a great German Thrash Metal album that any real Thrash fan will dig. Ya Dig?
8/10
250) Trioscapes- Seperate Realities
I am surprised this didn't come up sooner. This trio (haha, get it?) is a side project of BTBAM bassist, Dan Briggs. It is drums, bass and Saxophone. It's 100% Instrumental Jazz Fusion Metal. It's not unlike BTBAM but it is it's own entity. this wasn't a big release or well known but Jazz fans, fusion fans Prog fans and even some Metal fans will absolutely dig this album if given a chance. And it is well worth it. This is how Jazz Metal should sound.
9.5/10
251.) Secrets of the Moon- Seven Bells
Dark, Evil Black Metal. There is actually a lot of Atmosphere around it as well with a lot of dynamics. This is absolutely one of the better Black Metal albums to be released this year. I hope this review will actually draw some attention to this album because it deserves it. It's very well written like latter Day Emperor. Black Metal fans should be drooling over this when they get the first taste of it. You won't wanna let this one go. So get it!
9/10
252.) Horrendous- The Chills
The second best Death metal album of the year. Like Asphyx, this is taking early day Death into the 2000s. You can't hear this and not think that they wouldn't go along great with Death during the Scream Bloody Gore tour. Horrendous is doing us a favor by bringing back Death metal to what it is suppose to be about, Great Riffs, catchy at that. Awesome songwriting and over just brutal. I love this album so much
9.5/10
253.) Microfilm- AF127
This is Instrumental Post Rock with lots of Prog elements, and sound clips where normally vocals would be. They go from Sex Ed class videos to other very obscure references that make the songs every interesting to listen to and enjoy. This is not your every day run of the mill Post Rock, this is a lot quirkier and and much more enjoyable. If you want something different, check this one out.
8/10
254.) Wo Fat- The Black Code
Ah yes Wo Fat. the perfect mixture of Black Sabbath and Mastodon. It's Doom Metal with some Sludgy Prog Rock thrown in. This stuff is totally killer to listen to in small doses, unless you like to get high, then it's perfect all the way through. I got into these guys last year with their debut album, and this is a fantastic step up. they are only getting better and better. And for fans of the genre. This is for you!
8/10
255.) Neal Morse- Momentum
I will defend myself to the day I die. I listen to as much Neal Morse as I do Deicide and Behemoth. I love music. I don't care what they preach both good or evil, if it is good music I will love it. Neal Morse is the king of Christian Prog Rock. there is absolutely no denying it, and this is some of his best work post Spock's Beard. The one downside to this, and every Neal Morse album is the lyrics. before you start, i don't mean the content. I mean that every album has the same story of someone who is lost in life and finds God. that is a great message, but not for every album. Luckily in the case of Momentum, it doesn't matter, the whole album is firing on all cylinders and is fantastic. Amazing Prog Rock.
9/10
256.) Morglbl- Brutal Romance
Fabulous Instrumental Prog Rock written in the style of Freak Kitchen and Frank Zappa. It's quirky, its amazingly well written and overall, just fun to listen to. It does get a tad long without vocals if you can't stand music not having vocals for a long period of time. For us Instrumental fans. it flows together so very well and it is awesome all the way through. Get this!
8/10
257.) Sear Bliss- Eternal Recurrence
Black Metal with a brass section. What are the odds? Well Symphonic black Metal is so very good, why not make a Black metal band with some Trombone for good measure. Sear Bliss proves that this can make the music even better. This is not your average Black Metal filled with Tremolo picking, deah shrieks, and blast beats. Not this is a very Progressive Black Metal album that feels like a dark evil Jazz album. While some could find this gimmicky, I do not. it flows together so well and should be heard by anyone who loves the brass section, regardless if you love Metal or not.
9/10
258.) Self Spiller- Worms In the Keys
This is what Agalloch does in their free time when not in Agalloch or teaching in college. this is some very messed up avant garde music. Electronica meets Death Metal to Post Rock to Circus music to smooth jazz. it's all over the board, and with that said, they seem like the kind of guys who would at least try to promote this album, they should have anyways. as a guy who likes music to be different, this almost borders on being too out there for me, but not quite there. After a few listens it flows together naturally. But those first few listens, it's a mind screw for sure.
7/10
259.) Counter-World Experience- Music For Kings
Instrumental Progressive Metal that sounds like if Liquid tension Experiment got back together, and made darker Prog Metal. its really the best way i can describe it. Again with instrumental music, it may feel long to you with no vocals, but at the same time, for instrumental fans like myself. the music does all the talking, and there is no need for anything else. This is killer Prog Metal.
8/10
260.) Arbor- The Plutonian Shore
Get ready for one long ass genre description.....Atmospheric Folk Progressive Black Metal. I can't make it any shorter than that without leaving something very important to the sound. this is an album I haven't been able to spend too much time on when I first got it, but with each listen I gave it it gets better and better. it's got everything you'd want from all the genres listed, all while being completely catchy and enjoyable. Like another band that will be brought up at some point, Obsidian Kingdom, these guys are making Black Metal worth listening to from any music fan. And doing it right. Please check this out!
9.5/10
Topic: JRundquist's 2012 Music Year In Review (Read 13288 times)
