Top 10 Albums of 2019 (Preliminary DTF Top 20 of 2019)

[cramx3]

I just don't feel like I'm givng the albums a chance if I listen to so many.  I also don't have the time to dedicate just music listening so that I can only lsiten once and have a good idea.  I'm usually listening while at work, doing shit around the house, on my bike or driving.  It ends up meaning I need to listen to an album at least 3 times and closer to 5 to really start to "get it" and figure out if I truly like it.  Obviously some are amazing or poor on first listen, but most aren't and need lots of listens for me to truly judge.  I have no desire to listen to so many new albums, I always like going back to stuff I enjoy and these days with singles being so much more important than albums, I often listen to individual songs for new bands before diving into albums.

I hit 20 new albums in 2019, that's the most ever for me and that seems about right for the way I listen as I just don't think it's possible for me to really digest many more in a given year.  To each their own on how they digest music though, that's not meant to say you are doing it wrong and I"m right, we all have our ways.  Plus if I truly love an album it's getting non stop spins and cutting out from me exploring something new. 

And here are my final rankings (there were three albums in my last post I was waiting to rank)

1. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
2. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
3. The Dark Element - Songs the Night Sings
4. Beast in Black - From Hell with Love
5. Avantasia - Moonglow
6. Devin Townsend - Empath
7. Dirty Heads - Supermoon
8. Cyhra - No Halos in Hell
9. Sabaton - The Great War
10. Evergrey - The Atlantic
11. Battle Beast - No More Hollywood Endings
12. 311 - Voyager
13. Babymetal - Metal Galaxy
14. Turilli/Lione Rhapsody - Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution)
15. Within Temptation - Resist
16. Voyager - Colours in the Sun
17. Thank You Scientist - Terraformer
18. Eclipse - Paradigm
19. Volbeat - Rewind, Replay, Rebound
20. AJR - Neotheater

[wolfking]

I just don't feel like I'm givng the albums a chance if I listen to so many.  I also don't have the time to dedicate just music listening so that I can only lsiten once and have a good idea.

Me exactly also mate.

[bill1971]

In no particular order

Dream Theater "Distance over Time"
Alan Silvesti "Avengers Endgame"
Sugaray Rayford "Somebody Save Me"
Joshua Redman "Come what May"
The Bad Plus "Activate Infinity"
John Williams "Rise of Skywalker"

[jingle.boy]

I echo pretty much everything that Mike said in his initial response.  A few additional thoughts on why I'm such a music whore.

First, it's my only vice.  I could be addicted to worse things.  Second, 132 may seem like a lot on the surface, but you break it down, and that's less than 3 per week.  That doesn't make it sound so big/difficult.  Third, my job allows for it.  On average, I'd guess I take in 6-8 hours of music listening a day - ironically, it's probably less on weekends. 

I just don't feel like I'm giving the albums a chance if I listen to so many.  I also don't have the time to dedicate just music listening so that I can only listen once and have a good idea.  I'm usually listening while at work, doing shit around the house, on my bike or driving.  It ends up meaning I need to listen to an album at least 3 times and closer to 5 to really start to "get it" and figure out if I truly like it.

I can't say I disagree with this.  When I'm discovering new bands/albums, if I'm not at the very least 'impressed' or 'wow'd' (within the first 1/2 of the album), then it goes on the trash pile.  Even music I enjoyed and/or would consider good doesn't get repeat listens.  After the 2nd listen, I'll decide if it's purchase-worthy or Spotify-savable.  Then at the end of the year I try to rank 'em (which I'm in the process of doing right now).

I often say there is just too much GREAT music out there to listen to, and THAT is why I'm always on the hunt.  If I didn't have such a voracious appetite, then I wouldn't have stumbled on some of my most favorite bands/albums from the past 5-10 years (Hemina, Daydream XI, Damnations Day, Teramaze, Lords of Black, Eagleheart etc...).  Granted, as I look back at the last 5 years, the albums that I save to Spotify don't get a lot of repeat listens, but the ones I actually purchase do.  However, as I hinted at earlier, with 25+ albums accumulating every year, it's harder and harder to go back to all of them.

[TAC]

I have literally started a document for the last 4 years to list each album sampled/Saved/purchased, and even by genre. I find by about April, I'm like "fuck it".

[The Walrus]

At this point there's so much music I love and want to buy that I realistically can't keep up with it. Hell, I couldn't keep up with it before Spotify. Now that I have a turntable, I've decided to not only just buy the records I love, but to buy the records I love that I either listen to the most or have the artwork that I most want to own on vinyl. That whittles it down even further but it's still gonna be really hard to choose 

[Lethean]

I'm more in line with cramx and wolfking.  It's not necessarily that I don't have time though.  Sometimes I can listen to music at work and sometimes I can't, but I do get a lot of listening in that way.  And driving, and sometimes just listening at home.  But I'm definitely like cram in that I need to spend more time absorbing albums to see what I think, and I definitely do the "nonstop spins" thing as well.

Top albums for me so far, by play count, keeping in mind that I've only listened to about 20:

1. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
2. Leprous - Pitfalls
3. Sonata Arctica - Talviyo
4. Evergrey - The Atlantic
5. Borknagar - True North
6. Voyager - Colours in the Sun
7. Ray Alder - What the Water Wants
8. Soen - Lotus
9. Vanden Plas - The Ghost Xperiment - Awakening
10. Queensryche - The Verdict

[The Walrus]

I mean, other than the albums I binged in the last week or so, I've spent many hours with most of the rest of my list. Everybody's different and it doesn't matter how much anyone listens to Twilight Force hasn't left my car's stereo since it came out in August; Avantasia was almost all I listened to for 2 months 

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I'm going to start compiling these. If anyone else wants to get their lists in within the next few days I can still include them or for those that provided lists but didn't order them would like to order their lists and post them.

[Anguyen92]

Let's see.  My final list.  Only listened to 35 albums.  Was hoping that I can make it to 40+, but going to so many concerts and diving into bands' entire catalogs makes it hard to listen to new albums for kicks.  Not too many albums that I've heard wowed me though and was ok, but not great.

1. Alter Bridge - Walk the Sky
2. Aimer - Sun Dance
3. Big Wreck - ...But for the Sun
4. Within Temptation - Resist
5. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
6. Jordan Rudess - Wired for Madness
7. Skillet - Victorious
8. SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] - R∃/MEMBER (I liked this JPop album.  It's formatted where you have various vocalists singing on different tracks of the album.  The JPop singers I knew, Aimer and LiSA, were on it.)
9. The Hu - The Gereg
10. Lindsey Stirling - Artemis

[wolfking]

I may try and make more of an effort this year and try more new albums and try and take note on what sticks around.  Probably should do my own research.

I guess time is my issue and I know the majority of random new music will only get one listen abd that precious time could be used listening to stuffI really enjoy, especially when there's time lately I need it most.

[jingle.boy]

I'm still making my way thru my rating, but this is as good a start as any.  I'll edit later to rank them

Avantasia / Moonglow
DT / Distance Over Time
Restless Spirits / Restless Spirits
The Ferrymen / A New Evil
M.I.GOD. / Specters on Parade
IQ / Resistance
Ark Ascent / Downfall
Vanden Plas / The Ghost Xperiment
Darkwater / Human
Andy Gillion / Neverafter

[The Walrus]

There's no way I'll figure out my final top 10 list in time. So, just go with my last formal ranking:

1. Twilight Force - Dawn of the Dragonstar (symphonic power metal)
2. Avantasia - Moonglow (theatrical power metal / hard rock)
3. Voyager - Colours In The Sun (synth-drenched progressive metal)
4. Tycho - Weather (chillwave / IDM / indie / ambient)
5. NorthTale - Welcome To Paradise (power metal)
6. Turilli/Lione Rhapsody - Zero Gravity (Rebirth & Evolution) (symphonic metal)
7. Eternity's End - Unyielding (progressive power/speed metal)
8. Leprous - Pitfalls (progressive metal)
9. Master Boot Record - Internet Protocol (industrial electronic metal)
10. Galneryus - Into the Purgatory (power metal)

[Zantera]

Interesting to see someone rate Tycho's new album that high. I consider myself a big fan but his latest one is his worst by far for me. The vocals really drag it down and the melodies aren't as strong as previous albums.

[The Walrus]

Interesting to see someone rate Tycho's new album that high. I consider myself a big fan but his latest one is his worst by far for me. The vocals really drag it down and the melodies aren't as strong as previous albums.

That's a shame. I think I'm in the minority who loves this album so much. I think Awake is one of the greatest albums ever made (it ranks highly on my top 50 list), so of course that's a very high bar to match, but honestly this new one is right behind it for my tastes. Even better than Dive and Epoch. I agree about the melodies, but I love the vocals and vibe of the whole album. I heard he was going to release a full instrumental version of the album in the fall but so far I've only seen one song released without vocals.

[Evermind]

I'm going to start compiling these. If anyone else wants to get their lists in within the next few days I can still include them or for those that provided lists but didn't order them would like to order their lists and post them.

I think I still haven't done my list yet but I'll try to do it tomorrow.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I will probably post a preliminary list sometime either this weekend or next week and then I will add in the top 10's from the rest of you stragglers once you get them in 


So no hurry.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Last minute update to my list.

1. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
2. black midi - Schlagenheim
3. Lightning Bolt - Sonic Citadel
4. Swans - Leaving Meaning.
5. Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
6. Glass Beach - The First Glass Beach Album
7. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Ghosteen
8. The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
9. Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops
10. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Infest the Rats' Nest

[Crow]

1. A Novelist - Folie
2. glass beach - the first glass beach album
3. Somn - The All-Devouring
4. Thank You Scientist - Terraformer
5. Warforged - I: Voice
6. Illyria - The Carpathian Summit
7. La Dispute - Panorama
8. Capstan - Restless Heart, Keep Running
9. Adrift - Pure
10. An Isolated Mind - I'm Losing Myself

Honorable Mentions:
Wilderun - The Veil of Imagination
We Never Learned to Live - The Sleepwalk Transmissions
Devin Townsend - Empath
Wheel - Moving Backwards
The Physics House Band - Death Sequence (EP)
Poly-math - Sensors in Everything (EP)

there's more 2019 albums i need to give some serious listen time (over 30, tbh, screw me  ) but where things stand for now.
i'll have a top albums of 2019 list up when i've actually properly finalized it in like, April or something

[Evermind]

Honestly my Top 3 is set and the rest could be in a different order entirely depending on my mood but I guess this'll have to do.

1. Arch/Matheos - Winter Ethereal
2. Leprous - Pitfalls
3. iamthemorning - The Bell
4. Tool - Fear Inoculum
5. IQ - Resistance
6. Insomnium - Heart Like a Grave
7. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
8. Wilderun - Veil of Imagination
9. Soen - Lotus
10. Swallow the Sun - When the Shadow Is Forced Into the Light

Honorable mention: Mostly Autumn - White Rainbow

Still have a few albums to listen to, namely Allegaeon, Flaming Row and Artificial Language.

[jingle.boy]

Updated with rankings, and as much as it pained me, I had to kick out Restless Spirits.  I gave the nod to the bottom 3 in this list for sentimentality.  On the whole, I probably enjoyed Restless Spirits more than the bottom 3, but couldn't fathom not ranking any of them in the Top 10 of the year.

10. Vanden Plas / The Ghost Xperiment - no duds at all, but nothing that jumped out and grabbed my attention - yet
9. Avantasia / Moonglow - if not for the title track, it would've been higher
8. DT / Distance Over Time - if not for the opening track, it would've been higher
7. The Ferrymen / A New Evil - same as Vanden Plas, but just a bit better... and Ronnie + Magnus = guaranteed win
6. Andy Gillion / Neverafter - shred-a-licious.  Where did this guy come from??  Seriously, does anyone know?
5. IQ / Resistance - what need be said?  If Katt can put this in his top 10, then everyone better 
4. Noveria / Aequilibrium - best of their 3 releases.  Stellar, start-to-finish
3. Darkwater / Human - best of their 3 releases.  Stellar, start-to-finish
2. Ark Ascent / Downfall - thanks RJ.  Has what will probably be my song of the year.
1. M.I.GOD. / Specters on Parade - came off the PPUSA top 50 list to steal my musical attention.

[cramx3]

I've got to check out that Darkwater album

[jingle.boy]

I've got to check out that Darkwater album

You should.

[The Walrus]

It's good. Kind of standard, polished progressive metal... but good.

[cramx3]

I've got to check out that Darkwater album

You should.

You know I will, they are playing PP! It's nice to see lots of people mentioning it though

[TAC]

I've tried a couple of times, but it just hasn't stuck.

[WebRaider]

As of now this is my list...

1. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
2. Periphery - Hail Stan
3. Moontooth - Crux
4. Jolly - Family
5. Devin Townsend - Empath
6. Big Wreck - ...but for the sun
7. Opeth - In Cauda Venenum
8. McRocklin & Hutch - Riding Out
9. White Ward - Love Exchange Failure
10. Baroness - Gold & Grey

Ola Englund - Master of the Universe
Jakub Zytecki - Nothing Lasts, Nothing's Lost
Dream Theater - Distance Over Time

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Here is the Preliminary top 20 for DTF. I suppose it should come as no surprise that the house band has topped the list. Not too many surprises in the top 20 really. I'll revisit this at the end of the month to see if there are any other entries and I can add them to my spreadsheet to see if there are any changes. I'll also post the full spreadsheet at the end of the month so you guys can peruse at your leisure.

1. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
2. Tool - Fear Inoculum
3. Devin Townsend - Empath
4. Leprous - Pitfalls
5. Arch/Matheos - Winter Ethereal
6. Opeth - In Cauda Venenum
7. The Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure
8. IQ  - Resistance
9. Wilderun - Veil of Imagination
10. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
11. Soen - Lotus
12. Periphery - IV: Hail Stan
13. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
14. Evergrey - The Atlantic
15. Thank You, Scientist - Terraformer
16. Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear
17. Swallow The Sun - When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light
18. iamthemorning  - The Bell
19. Glass Beach - The First Glass Beach Album
20. Swans - leaving meaning.

[Crow]

i'm just stoked to see glass beach made the list at all
an unsurprising list that doesn't accurately reflect anything other than that DT is really popular on a forum for DT

[TAC]

Wow, I have literally only heard 4 of those albums.

DT
A/M
Wilderun
STS

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Wow, I have literally only heard 4 of those albums.

DT
A/M
Wilderun
STS

You might like the Opeth album, and maybe Cult of Luna....maybe.

[Crow]

i'll eat a hat if TAC likes cult of luna

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

i'll eat a hat if TAC likes cult of luna

I probably would too, but it seemed the most likely out of the remaining albums he hasn't heard. 

[wolfking]

Wow, I have literally only heard 4 of those albums.

DT
A/M
Wilderun
STS

You might like the Opeth album, and maybe Cult of Luna....maybe.

Haha, he doesn't like the Opeth album.

[Train of Naught]

To be honest I’m probably the biggest Cult of Luna nerd here and that album took a while to grow on me. It’s been fucking great since it clicked though

What the hell is Glass Beach??