The Last HeroAlter BridgeOnce again the dogs are out for blood...The refinement of their "heavy sound", one that started with the insipid ABIII, found a strong voice on the popular Fortress, and reached its peak here imo. Although this ain't really experimental music at all, this is the band's taking their sound into new directions and pushing a bit the limits of what can be done in such a dull genre like Hard Rock and Heavy Metal in 2016, with a sound completely their own. Excellent riffs, and performance by Myles Kennedy. The down side is that, although the production is excellent, The Last Hero has been mastered too loud, which can make for a tiring listen. 13 songs on a similar vein don't help much either. But it's a solid album.
Recommended track: The Other SideFrances the MuteThe Mars VoltaSin Ojos me quieres dar, una historia sin mi madre...Well, for some reason decided to finally give this album a chance, despite their debut not blowing me away. Well, this one I like more! On Frances the Mute, the band showcases a wild variety, notably lots of latin music like tango or traditional folk from several parts of the continent, mostly from Central America. The album's a little chaotic at times, but just goes through many styles, like progressive rock, jazz fusion, and even ambient. It's probably a little too "much" for me and the ambient sections are too long and kinda boring. But I really like the choruses on each track.
Maybe this will click on me one day and I'll love it to pieces. By now, I feel it's just a solid record.
Recommended track: L'Via L'ViaquezCatch Without ArmsDredgLet the demons have their place...So basically dredg's sound but more... accessible and commercial almost. But definitely not a sellout - just songs are simplified a bit. Which isn't a bad thing, I like their sound and these tunes are pretty catchy, but I really miss the experimentation and overall "weirdness" of El Cielo. Still, Catch Without Arms is a solid album full of bangers and some of the band's best songs.
Recommended track: Ode to the SunReturning JesusNo-ManLet me comfort you when the world seems blue...So after two dance, electronic albums, Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness went into a very, very different direction. Long gone are the drumbeats and the sampling - welcome the guitars, the synths and moogs, the drums, the strings, the ocassional sax and trumpet. It reminds me of a cross between Pink Floyd post-DSotM and Talk Talk's Laughing Stock - the emotion and songwriting of the former, the atmosphere and use of instrumentation of the later. So yeah, this is atmospheric af, and very emotional at times. I'd be all over this album if it wasn't a little cheesy, and some sounds weren't so outdated. But it's still a very solid effort, and showcases a style that would reach it's peak on their follow-up imo.
Recommended track: All that You AreThe Great MisdirectBetween the Buried and MeSlide into the water, Become one with the sea, Life seems so much smaller...After the amazing Colors, the band decided to tone down a bit the growls and the metal, and go for a more melodic route. In the way, they added some dark cabaret and jazz fusion elements here and there. And it works! Although a chaotic album, it's a very entertaining one, and definitely more accessible than their previous album.
Recommended track: Swim to the Moon I also wanted to mention a couple albums that didn't make the cut for the list nor the honorable mentions, either because I didn't feel strong about them or I just didn't give enough attention to justify putting them here:
So that's the end of the honorable mentions! I'll soon begin with the actual list - expect 30 excellent records that are the best I've discovered this year.