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

[cramx3]

I'm still trying to figure out how to rate Empath. It will probably be in my top 10, just not sure where yet.

1. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
2. Avantasia - Moonglow
3. Evergrey - The Atlantic
4. Within Temptation - Resist

I'm really looking forward to Devin Townsend's Empath this month. 

Empath probably knocks Within Temptation down to 5, but it's close between those two since both have good songs but I don't find the entire albums to be spectacular. 

[The Walrus]

Top contenders:
1. Avantasia - Moonglow
2. Eternity's End - Unyielding
3. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
4. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

I haven't heard Devy's "Empath" yet but I do have two I regret wasting my time on: Evergrey and Rhapsody's new albums.

[Stadler]

Sorry, but I'm baffled.  Some of you are naming bands that can't possibly be anything but your next-door neighbors' sons' band, and other than mine there's not ONE reference to Rival Sons or The Claypool Lennon Delirium.  And it's not like I'm listing Country/Western bands, or rap artists.   The Sons' opened for Sabbath for gosh sakes, and the other has a son of a BEATLE.

The song "Feral Roots" (title track of the new album) is perhaps their best song, and I just saw the CLD and they did a killer cover of both "The Court Of The Crimson King" and "Tomorrow Never Knows".    Lennon isn't Yngwie or Eddie, let's keep it real, but he's a far better guitarist than I ever thought he would be.  I met him before the show, and he was a very nice man as well.  Aloof, but seemed to have a good handle on himself and who he was/is. 

[The Walrus]

Sorry, but I'm baffled.  Some of you are naming bands that can't possibly be anything but your next-door neighbors' sons' band, and other than mine there's not ONE reference to Rival Sons or The Claypool Lennon Delirium.  And it's not like I'm listing Country/Western bands, or rap artists.   The Sons' opened for Sabbath for gosh sakes, and the other has a son of a BEATLE.

The song "Feral Roots" (title track of the new album) is perhaps their best song, and I just saw the CLD and they did a killer cover of both "The Court Of The Crimson King" and "Tomorrow Never Knows".    Lennon isn't Yngwie or Eddie, let's keep it real, but he's a far better guitarist than I ever thought he would be.  I met him before the show, and he was a very nice man as well.  Aloof, but seemed to have a good handle on himself and who he was/is.

I'm not gonna lie, I just don't care about either Lennon or Claypool, at ALL... but I'll check those songs out.

[senecadawg2]

My favorite albums, or rather the artists who have released my favorite albums, in order of when I heard them:

Soilwork
Swallow the Sun
Astronoid
Soen
Avantasia
Better Oblivion Community Center
Dream Theater
Copeland
Downfall of Gaia
Tim Bowness
David Gray
The Tallest Man on Earth
Glen Hansard

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Sorry, but I'm baffled.  Some of you are naming bands that can't possibly be anything but your next-door neighbors' sons' band, and other than mine there's not ONE reference to Rival Sons or The Claypool Lennon Delirium.  And it's not like I'm listing Country/Western bands, or rap artists.   The Sons' opened for Sabbath for gosh sakes, and the other has a son of a BEATLE.

Rival Sons is currently sitting at number 19 on my list. There's some good songs on it, and some that are not so good.

[Stadler]

Sorry, but I'm baffled.  Some of you are naming bands that can't possibly be anything but your next-door neighbors' sons' band, and other than mine there's not ONE reference to Rival Sons or The Claypool Lennon Delirium.  And it's not like I'm listing Country/Western bands, or rap artists.   The Sons' opened for Sabbath for gosh sakes, and the other has a son of a BEATLE.

The song "Feral Roots" (title track of the new album) is perhaps their best song, and I just saw the CLD and they did a killer cover of both "The Court Of The Crimson King" and "Tomorrow Never Knows".    Lennon isn't Yngwie or Eddie, let's keep it real, but he's a far better guitarist than I ever thought he would be.  I met him before the show, and he was a very nice man as well.  Aloof, but seemed to have a good handle on himself and who he was/is.

I'm not gonna lie, I just don't care about either Lennon or Claypool, at ALL... but I'll check those songs out.

Because of who they are, or because of their music?  It's admittedly not for everyone, but it's very Crimson/Pink Floydian, and those are big names here, so it's just surprising they literally haven't gotten even one mention other than mine.   

[MirrorMask]

Cellar Darling - The Spell
Folkstone - Diario di un Ultimo (italian rock / folk band, guitars and bagpipes)
Avantasia - Moonglow
Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
Mago de Oz - Ira Dei
Beast in Black - From Hell with Love

[The Walrus]

Sorry, but I'm baffled.  Some of you are naming bands that can't possibly be anything but your next-door neighbors' sons' band, and other than mine there's not ONE reference to Rival Sons or The Claypool Lennon Delirium.  And it's not like I'm listing Country/Western bands, or rap artists.   The Sons' opened for Sabbath for gosh sakes, and the other has a son of a BEATLE.

The song "Feral Roots" (title track of the new album) is perhaps their best song, and I just saw the CLD and they did a killer cover of both "The Court Of The Crimson King" and "Tomorrow Never Knows".    Lennon isn't Yngwie or Eddie, let's keep it real, but he's a far better guitarist than I ever thought he would be.  I met him before the show, and he was a very nice man as well.  Aloof, but seemed to have a good handle on himself and who he was/is.

I'm not gonna lie, I just don't care about either Lennon or Claypool, at ALL... but I'll check those songs out.

Because of who they are, or because of their music?  It's admittedly not for everyone, but it's very Crimson/Pink Floydian, and those are big names here, so it's just surprising they literally haven't gotten even one mention other than mine.

Kinda both? I think Claypool's music is annoying (Primus) and Sean Lennon, apart from his father being the king of hippies, doesn't interest me just 'cause he's a Lennon. But if this stuff is like KC/Floyd to some extent, you've got me interested.

[Zantera]

I enjoyed the Lennon/Claypool album enough but both that album and Rival Sons kinda fall under a style of music I'm not very interested in. Then again I try to make it my mission to discover a lot of new music each year and I try to keep up and check out albums that are getting good reviews. My worst fear in terms of music listening is becoming a "safe" music listener who only picks up 10-20 albums in a year and they are all by bands I'm already familiar with. I like to think that new exciting discoveries make up for when bands I like release a disappointing album, and that happens occasionally.

[SoundscapeMN]

But my midseason 2018-2019 isn't too far away coming May 1st.

May 1st or soon after (May 3rd is a Friday, so possibly that weekend).

I can add that per Stadler and a friend mine's suggestion, The Claypool/Lennon Delirium album will be in there as I have been enjoying that record quite a lot. It's hardly like Primus surprisingly, but more along the lines of Gong or Pepe Deluxe or King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Very psych/proggy.

[Stadler]

So, returning the favor, I'm not familiar with any of those bands you mentioned there.  Are they enough alike that I might be into them?  Where would I start? 

And Zantera, I totally respect that; I'm not suggesting that everyone should love what I love, it's not about that, I was just mildly surprised that no one mentioned either one, as it's not like they are unknown, unsigned bands.   

[NoseofNicko]

9/10:

1. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
2. Waste of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis
3. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
4. Soen - Lotus
5. Devin Townsend - Empath
6. Funereal Presence - Achatius

8/10:

7. Saor - Forgotten Paths
8. Black to Comm - Seven Horses for Seven Kings
9. Queensrÿche - The Verdict
10. Darkwater - Human

[NoseofNicko]

Xiu Xiu - Girl With Basket of Fruit

Mary Turner Mary Turner has to be the darkest and creepiest song of the year. Love it.

[SoundscapeMN]

So, returning the favor, I'm not familiar with any of those bands you mentioned there.  Are they enough alike that I might be into them?  Where would I start? 

And Zantera, I totally respect that; I'm not suggesting that everyone should love what I love, it's not about that, I was just mildly surprised that no one mentioned either one, as it's not like they are unknown, unsigned bands.

You may enjoy all of them.

I would check out Pepe Deluxe's album Queen of the Wave. To me it's a masterwork in production and capturing a retro-vibe while still sounding modern.

here's 1 of the more popular tracks "A Night and a Day":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfYw9nxQdB8

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have an extensive catalog, much of which I have to hear. But I enjoy some of the albums I've heard, namely Polygondwanaland.

This tune "Crumbling Castle" is over 10 minutes, but it has a really cool Crimson-vibe to it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLP8rFrL1W0

[Stadler]

2. Waste of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis

Never heard of them but that might be one of the better band names I've heard in a while...

[Ninjabait]

9/10
01. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time

8/10
02. Snarky Puppy - Immigrance
03. Khalid - Free Spirit
04. Delain - Hunter's Moon

7/10
05. Rhapsody of Fire - The Eighth Mountain
06. Keren Ann - Bleue

6/10
07. Jordan Rudess - Wired for Madness
08. Russkaja - No One Is Illegal

5/10
09. Lemaitre - Fast Lovers
10. Sara Bareilles - Admist the Chaos
11. Outline in Color - Outline in Color

4/10
12. Soen - Lotus
13. Within Temptation - Resist

Update I guess, since I've actually heard at least 10 new albums now lol

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Slight update after another listen to the new Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard.

Top Albums of 2019

1. Downfall of Gaia - Ethic of Radical Finitude (Atmospheric Post Black Metal)
2. Mostly Autumn - White Rainbow (Progressive Rock)
3. The Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure (Progressive Rock)
4. Saor - Forgotten Paths (Atmospheric Celtic Black Metal)
5. A Novelist - Folie (Progressive Metal)
6. Týr - Hel (Folky Progressive Power Metal)
7. Soilwork - Verkligheten (Melodic Death Metal)
8. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time (Progressive Metal)
9. Abyssic - High the Memory (Funeral Doom Metal)
10. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard - Yn Ol I Annwn (Psychedelic Sludge Metal)

Top EPs of 2019

1. Jinjer - Micro (Proggy Alternative Metalcore)

Top Live Albums of 2019

1. Der Weg Einer Freiheit - Live in Berlin
2. Flight of the Conchords - Live in London

[twosuitsluke]

My Top 14, as these are the albums that have left the biggest impact so far this year (I need to check out two albums released today though):

1. Devin Townsend - Empath
2. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
3. Soen - Lotus
4. Astronoid - Astronoid
5. Evergrey - The Atlantic
6. Periphery IV: HAIL STAN
7. Valtari - Origin Enigma
8. East of the Wall - NP-Complete
9. Palehorse - Palehorse
10. Born of Osiris - The Simulation
11. Wheel - Moving Backwards
12. Herod - Sombre Dessein
13. Zeal and Ardor - Live in London
14. The Great Discord - Afterbirth (EP)

[Stadler]

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard.

Seriously? 

[romdrums]

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard.

Seriously?

 

[Crow]

I personally wouldn't count Palehorse as it's a rerelease of a 2016 album but 

[romdrums]

So far for me this year:

Tier One:
1. Dream Theater: Distance Over Time
2. Periphery: Hail Stan

Tier Two:
Everygrey: The Atlantic
We Are Impala: Visions
Wheel: Moving Backwards
Kosatka: Colossus

Tier Three:
Mono: Nowhere Now Here
Soilwork: Verkligheten

[twosuitsluke]

I personally wouldn't count Palehorse as it's a rerelease of a 2016 album but 

I was not aware of this. Fuck it, it's staying on now

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard.

Seriously?

I was figuring on this being your reaction to that band name 

[home]

Most of my favourite discoveries I made this year aren't 2019 releases, but these are some 2019 albums I liked:

OWEL - Paris
Flume- Hi This Is Flume
La Dispute - Panorama
bbno$ - recess
Malibu Ken - Malibu Ken
Deerhunter - Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared

Especially love the first two

[Evermind]

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard.

Seriously?

Just when you thought that Giraffes? Giraffes! is the most ridiculous band name out there.

[twosuitsluke]

Followed by pigs pigs pigs pigs pigs pigs pigs

If it's not repeated 7 times is it even worth listening to?

[Crow]

hey y'all check out my new album!!

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

hey y'all check out my new album!!

I almost feel like listening to that all the way through...

[Nachtmerrie]

So far this year:

Top Tier:
Evergrey - The Atlantic
Swallow the Sun - When A Shadow is Forced Into the Light
Periphery - Hail Stan
Dream Theater - Distance Over Time

Second Tier:
Soen - Lotus
Downfall of Gaia - Ethic of a Radical Finitude

Still checking out / need to listen a few more times
Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure (first impression: Similitude is better)
Allagaeon - Apoptosis
Herod - Sombre Dessein
Astronoid - Astronoid
Devin Townsend - Empath

[TAC]

hey y'all check out my new album!!

Wow, that's grand!

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Update!

Top Albums of 2019

1. Downfall of Gaia - Ethic of Radical Finitude (Atmospheric Post Black Metal)
2. Mostly Autumn - White Rainbow (Progressive Rock)
3. RPWL - Tales From Outer Space (Progressive Rock)
4. The Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure (Progressive Rock)
5. Saor - Forgotten Paths (Atmospheric Celtic Black Metal)
6. A Novelist - Folie (Progressive Metal)
7. Týr - Hel (Folky Progressive Power Metal)
8. Soilwork - Verkligheten (Melodic Death Metal)
9. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time (Progressive Metal)
10. Abyssic - High the Memory (Funeral Doom Metal)

Top EPs of 2019

1. Jinjer - Micro (Proggy Alternative Metalcore)
2. Witherfall - Vintage (Acoustic with some Prog Metal)

Top Live Albums of 2019

1. Der Weg Einer Freiheit - Live in Berlin
2. Flight of the Conchords - Live in London

[SoundscapeMN]

But my midseason 2018-2019 isn't too far away coming May 1st.

May 1st or soon after (May 3rd is a Friday, so possibly that weekend).

I can add that per Stadler and a friend mine's suggestion, The Claypool/Lennon Delirium album will be in there as I have been enjoying that record quite a lot. It's hardly like Primus surprisingly, but more along the lines of Gong or Pepe Deluxe or King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Very psych/proggy.

Write-up + Blurbs on most, and some ANTICIPATION for the rest of the year

LIST

1. Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1
2. Ours - New Age Heroine II (November 2018)
3. Owel - Paris
4. 22 - You Are Creating Limb 2 (November 2018)
5. The Claypool/Lennon Delirium - South of Reality
6. Local Natives - Violet Street
7. Mutemath - Voice in the Silence [EP] (December 2018)
8. East of the Wall - NP-Complete
9. Jon Anderson - 1000 Hands
10. Motorpsycho - The Crucible
11. The Mercury Tree - Spidermilk
12. Snarky Puppy - Immigrance
13. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
14. Equipose - Demiurgus
15. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Fishing for Fishies
16. Sermon - Birth of the Marvellous
17. Steve Hackett - At the Edge of Light
18. Muse - Simulation Theory (November 2018)
19. Buke and Gase - Scholars
20. Mind Cinema - Sleep Clinic
21. Facing New York - Dogtown (December 2018)
22. Amanda Palmer - There Will Be No Intermission
23. Queensryche - The Verdict
24. Dan Mangan - More or Less

Still Haven't Heard but mean to:
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Transiberiana
Cats in Space - Day Trip to Narnia
Alan Parsons - The Secret
Radical Face - Therapy [EP]

[SwedishGoose]

The 2019 studio albums I have bought so far in the order of how I would currently rank them.

 O.R.k - Ramagehead
The Neal Morse Band  - The Great Adventure
A.C.T - Rebirth
Avantasia - Moonglow
Jordan Rudess - Wired for Madness
Scardust - Sands of Time
Dream Theater  - Distance Over Time