Favorites of 2022 - tracker

[ariich]

I'll need to wait until the year has actually ended to do my final list, as the new Vulfpeck album comes out on the 30th.

I wish more people would take that approach in general.  It vexes me to see publications and influencers drop best of year lists in early November.

12/30 is really pushing it though if you want your album to get AOTY consideration!

Seriously, not sure why they didn’t push that one back a week or two. Things released near the holidays tend to get lost in the shuffle.

Can't see any reason why any of those things should be the case. If people/publications want to do their lists in December so it only really covers things released up to the end of November, then they should be including the previous December. That's generally how music/TV/movie awards work - they cover a full year, it's just different to the calendar year to fit with when the awards ceremony takes place.

[Nachtmerrie]

I'll need to wait until the year has actually ended to do my final list, as the new Vulfpeck album comes out on the 30th.

I wish more people would take that approach in general.  It vexes me to see publications and influencers drop best of year lists in early November.

I guess most of them received the november and december releases as promos by then.
I get your point but my list isn't really set in stone. It can be totally different within a few months. In the end it's just fun to make a list, the moment doesn't really matter.

[cramx3]

There's usually not much being released this time of the year so it kind of makes sense, but I do agree generally that if you are only considering up to November, then December the previous year should be fair game.  At the end of the day, this time of the year is just dead time for the music business. 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Some of them do receive promos ahead of time, but that only works for bands on major labels or ones that have a connection to the publication.  Lots of independent bands aren't part of that media channel.  A magazine like Decibel says that if anything of interest comes out in the last couple months they'll mention it in a later issue, but I don't think nearly as many people care about a footnote in the January or February issue (probably more like April/May by the ludicrous dating those rags use).  The bigger issue is that if you release in early November that's almost 1/6 of the year that you don't have for releases to marinate.  Although for a lot of them they're just giving albums a cursory couple listens enough to churn out a review and then move onto the next hyped thing.  I paid close attention to this last year when I was following new releases more heavily, and there were several dozen albums released in December alone that people seemed to like, but mostly they were too small and lost in the shuffle by that point. 

[nick_z]

Well, while I'm pausing in between "festivities", I might as well post the list I put together for 2022:

Top 20:

1. Ghost - Impera
2. Amorphis - Halo
3. An Abstract Illusion - Woe
4. Wilderun - Epigone
5. Halo Effect - Days of the Lost
6. Messa - Close
7. A-Z - A-Z
8. Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance
9. Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying…And the Dead!
10. Dawn of Solace - Flames of Perdition
11. Black Map - Melodoria
12. Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings
13. Blind Guardian - The God Machine
14. Darkest Era   - Wither on the Vine
15. Threshold - Dividing Lines
16. Disillusion - Ayam
17. Seven Kingdoms - Zenith
18. Sonja - Loud Arriver
19. Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind
20. Sumerlands - Dreamkiller

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the order...that's partly for fun. Although I'd say the albums in the top 10 have generally distinguished themselves from the rest. Obviously the big "out of nowhere" surprise for me was An Abstract Illusion. A fantastic album. Ghost (Tobias Forge, really) are kinda unbelievable in how they worm their way into my brain every time. There's so much attention to detail in Impera's songs. Yes, they are catchy and clearly written to be POP(ular), but I think you can tell there is a true lover of classic rock/metal behind them. There's a plenty of incredibly tasty guitar in this album.  Amorphis' album too was another super high-quality piece of evidence of how consistent these guys are. I know sometimes "consistency" means "auto-pilot", and there is a bit of that risk with them at this point. But so far, so good  (in fact, I'd argue Under the Red Cloud, Queen of Time and Halo were somewhat of a return to form after a couple of records' lull). Messa's Close was also great. I'd heard of them, but hadn't checked them out before this year. All three of their albums are excellent. More surprises, this time from "veterans": Queensryche and Megadeth. Not masterpieces, obviously, but much better than I expected. I ended up listening to DNA and The Sick...a ton. Wilderun's Epigone came out very early in the year, and stayed very much at the top. It's a dense record, and it sure takes its time, but it's beautiful stuff. Halo Effect's album is great too - again, I was expecting to enjoy it, given the people involved, but it went beyond that. I mean, nothing new and certainly no stylistic surprises there, but the songwriting is top-notch. Different genre, but similar result for the A-Z album. Always a pleasure to hear Alder and Zonder together, and the songs really work here. I like that they went for this catchy + sophisticated approach, and the other members of the band are fantastic too.

Some (very) honorable mentions (alphabetical order):

Arð - Take Up My Bones
Audrey Horne - Devil's Bell
Clutch - Sunrise on Slaughter Beach
Crone - Gotta Light?
Eight Bells - Legacy of Ruin
Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait
Freedom Hawk - Take All You Can
Godless Truth - Godless Truth
Charlie Griffiths - Tiktaalika
Kardashev   - Liminal Rite
Kvaen - The Great Below
Moon Tooth - Phototroph
My Sleeping Karma - Atma
Nite - Voices of the Kronian Moon
Rammstein - Zeit
Michael Romeo - War of the Worlds Pt.2
Ruby the Hatchet - Fear is a Cruel Master
Saor - Origins
Satan - Earth Infernal
Sylvaine - Nova
Tomarum - Ashes in Realms of Stone Icons
Voivod - Synchro Anarchy
White Ward - False Light

Other saved albums - streaming but not purchased yet (order more or less based on when I checked them out first):
(this is a bit of an artificial distinction, really. Some of these, with a little more time, would have the potential to be "listers" for the year)

Tersivel - To the Orphic Void
Frank Turner - FTHC
GGGOLDDD - This shame should not be mine
Stabbing Westward - Chasing Ghosts
Lords of the Trident - The Offering
Famyne - II: The Ground Below
Iris Divine - Mercurial
Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain
The Spirit - Of Clarity and Galactic Structures
Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation
The Chasm - The Scars of a Lost Reflective Shadow
Carpenter Brut - Leather Terror
Cleanbreak - Coming Home
Early Moods - Early Moods
Eruption - Tellurian Rupture
Phantom Spell - Immortal's Requiem
Species - To Find Deliverance
Trial - Feed the Fire
Miscreance - Convergence
Spiritus Mortis - The Great Seal
Algebra - Chiroptera
Parius - The Signal Heard Throughout Space
Ritual Dictates - No Great Loss
The Cult - Under the Midnight Sun
Mother of Graves - Where the Shadows Adorn
Brymir - Voices in the Sky
Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting
O.R.k. - Screamnasium
Nothing in Writing - New Lives for Rent

...and just in the last couple of weeks or so:
Lalu - Paint the Sky
Freedom of Fear - Carpathia
Secret Shame - Autonomy
Veldune - Veldune
Darkswoon - Bloom Decay
Gloson - The Rift

[nick_z]

Looking at the posts here, some random thoughts...

Ghost - Impera

Seven Kingdoms - Zenith

Nice to see some sharing of the Ghost love  I have included Seven Kingdoms in my list too. A fun power metal record, with more than a bit of Unleash the Archer influence.

Top 10

6. Trial-Feed The Fire

I was revisiting this one just yesterday...I think it'll be in my shopping cart soon. I know we've talked about them before...this is such a great combo of power and more classic, old school epic metal. Really good.

11-20 (No order..)

Cleanbreak s/t

I know this is a bit random, but I wanted to highlight it as this album was quite a pleasant surprise. I checked it out back when you recommended it, even though typically Frontiers' project-bands have near zero appeal to me, and this is an absolutely legit hard rock/metal album with fantastic performances by everyone involved. Nothing terribly new of course, but I hope they do more.

Here's ten albums for my ten of the year.  Not sure or really care on the order but Woe is by far the best album of the year.

1. An Abstract Illusion - Woe

Song of the year is An Abstract Illusion - In the Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster.

Yes, as I mentioned in my post, Woe was a top, top album for me too. For sure, the surprise of the year, as far as I'm concerned. And I also agree on the song pick - these are some amazing 14 minutes, with one incredible moment after another.

My Top 25 of albums that I've listened at least 4-5 times.

1. Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting

6. Hundred Year Old Man - Sleep In Light   

Lots of great stuff in your list...love the Avatarium album...it's in my "saved" list, and it will be purchased soon. It's great how they keep subtly expanding their sound, while not losing their core identity. And Jennie-Ann Smith is just a joy to listen to. I have seen the Hundred Year Old Man record highlighted in a couple of lists as one of the best "post-metal" albums this year. It's in my queue to check out. In that same general ballpark, I have recently discovered Gloson (The Rift is the album's title), and it's very, very good.


Plenty more to go through here...so much more music to discover and so little time 

[ThatOneGuy2112]

.

[Sacul]

1. Richard Dawson – The Ruby Cord
2. black midi – Hellfire
3. Lucrecia Dalt – ¡Ay!
4. Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There
5. Gospel – The Loser
6. betcover!! – 卵（Tamago)
7. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava
8. Daniel Rossen – You Belong There
9. Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture
10. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
11. Jenny Hval – Classic Objects
12. Weyes Blood – And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow
13. Boris – Heavy Rocks
14. Chat Pile – God's Country
15. The Mars Volta – s/t
16. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Omnium Gatherum
17. Como Asesinar a Felipes – Luz, figura y sombra
18. Boris – W
19. Animals as Leaders – Parrhesia
20. deathcrash – Return
21. Arcade Fire – WE

Great list, I'll be checking out some of that stuff, as I'm only familiar with the bolded ones.

[HOF]

Realized yesterday that while this has been a really good year for new releases from several of my favorite bands, 2023 is looking to be pretty barren in terms of new music from favorite artists. Peter Gabriel is supposed to release a new album, and there is a chance the Big Big Train get their new album out by the end of 2023 (they'll probably have something out next year to fill time I imagine), but there is literally nothing else on my radar for this coming year at the moment. Marillion will be putting out their Seasons End deluxe edition I guess. The new Haken sounds somewhat promising as well. But it may just be a year where I'll have to mine new artists or older releases that I've not picked up yet.

[Nachtmerrie]

My Top 25 of albums that I've listened at least 4-5 times.

1. Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting

6. Hundred Year Old Man - Sleep In Light   

Lots of great stuff in your list...love the Avatarium album...it's in my "saved" list, and it will be purchased soon. It's great how they keep subtly expanding their sound, while not losing their core identity. And Jennie-Ann Smith is just a joy to listen to. I have seen the Hundred Year Old Man record highlighted in a couple of lists as one of the best "post-metal" albums this year. It's in my queue to check out. In that same general ballpark, I have recently discovered Gloson (The Rift is the album's title), and it's very, very good.


Plenty more to go through here...so much more music to discover and so little time 

Listening to the Gloson album right now. Pretty impressive on first listen. Huge Cult of Luna influences but I don't mind if it's done like this.

[Zoom E]

1. Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance
2. Ghost - Impera
3. Michael Romeo - War of the Worlds Pt 2
4. Tony Martin - Thorns
5. Avatarium - Death, Where is Your Sting
6. Scorpions - Rock Believer
7. Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings
8. Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying and the Dead
9. Coheed and Cambia - Vaxis 2
10. Muse - Will of the People

[NoFred]

Here's ten albums for my ten of the year.  Not sure or really care on the order but Woe is by far the best album of the year.

1. An Abstract Illusion - Woe

Song of the year is An Abstract Illusion - In the Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster.

Yes, as I mentioned in my post, Woe was a top, top album for me too. For sure, the surprise of the year, as far as I'm concerned. And I also agree on the song pick - these are some amazing 14 minutes, with one incredible moment after another.

It’s rare that black/death/doom sticks the landing for me, but this one definitely did it this year. What a surprise, and in my top 5 for sure.

[wolfking]

Here's ten albums for my ten of the year.  Not sure or really care on the order but Woe is by far the best album of the year.

1. An Abstract Illusion - Woe

Song of the year is An Abstract Illusion - In the Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster.

Yes, as I mentioned in my post, Woe was a top, top album for me too. For sure, the surprise of the year, as far as I'm concerned. And I also agree on the song pick - these are some amazing 14 minutes, with one incredible moment after another.

It’s rare that black/death/doom sticks the landing for me, but this one definitely did it this year. What a surprise, and in my top 5 for sure.

I've struggled with new stuff for a while now and I've made that known.  Tim recommended me listen to this and I did cause he's usually on the money.  Something about it caught my attention right away and by the second listen, I was hooked.  A masterpiece.

Cheers Tim.  And shoutout to Tom for buying the digital format as a gift. 

[Deadeye21]

Pawns and Kings was my album of the year. Nothing else came all that close.

[Deathless]

Taking time to reflect and there has been a lot of really good music in 2022. Here are some of my favorites (many of which are already listed ITT)

1. Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis II
2. L.S. Dunes - Past Lives
3. The Halo Effect - Days of the Lost
4. Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance
5. Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation
6. A-Z - S/T
7. Parkway Drive - Darker Still
8. Magna Carta Cartel - The Dying Option
9. Ghost - Impera
10. Armor for Sleep - The Rain Museum

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Normally I try and do my proper year-end lists on January 1st.  This year I think they might have to wait a week, just way too many albums left to check out (obviously I'll never get to everything, but there's a ton of heavy hitters I at least need to give cursory listens to in case they have a shot).  And my list is flatter than the last couple years, so it doesn't take as many listens to get a bit higher on it as it did those years.  I've already checked out at least three just in the last couple days that could become big players. 

[nick_z]

Looking forward to it, Litho!

There were a couple of "late" discoveries (on my part...the albums came out earlier in the year) that I'm really enjoying...didn't make the list as I didn't sit with them long enough. But I wondered if you knew them, since it feels like the sound could appeal to you:

Veldune - Veldune
Darkswoon - Bloom Decay

I mentioned those in the previous "...listening" thread, just before it got locked. Both female-fronted bands, not metal, and very intriguing...

[nick_z]

My Top 25 of albums that I've listened at least 4-5 times.

1. Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting

6. Hundred Year Old Man - Sleep In Light   

Lots of great stuff in your list...love the Avatarium album...it's in my "saved" list, and it will be purchased soon. It's great how they keep subtly expanding their sound, while not losing their core identity. And Jennie-Ann Smith is just a joy to listen to. I have seen the Hundred Year Old Man record highlighted in a couple of lists as one of the best "post-metal" albums this year. It's in my queue to check out. In that same general ballpark, I have recently discovered Gloson (The Rift is the album's title), and it's very, very good.


Plenty more to go through here...so much more music to discover and so little time 

Listening to the Gloson album right now. Pretty impressive on first listen. Huge Cult of Luna influences but I don't mind if it's done like this.

So, I finally got to Hundred Year Old Man...wow, quite a journey. I like how the musical climaxes really nail the "emotional" and epic combo. Maybe, given how long the album is already, I would've cut the long-ish interlude of sorts Monoamine, since it doesn't really add much (at least as a first impression), but overall I was impressed.

Another album I saw on your list as well as others on the interwebz is Brutus's Unison Life. I think I remember seeing them mentioned in the past (maybe it was another band with the same name? Not sure). Anyway, I didn't think it'd be in my wheelhouse, but I really enjoyed it. The vocals sometimes threaten to cross the line of too angsty (for my taste), but somehow they manage not to, and I'm actually liking them. Very cool record.

[ProfessorPeart]

Another year dominated by really heavy music. Seems like instead of being super diverse like I have always been, I'm just steering hard into the really heavy stuff.

1. Machine Head - Of Kingdom And Crown

• This album floored me and is easily the album I have listened to the most this year. Just a masterpiece in my opinion and a serious contender for my favorite album from them.

2. The Warning - Error

• These ladies continue to amaze. Their 3rd studio album and they are only currently 21, 19 and 16. Just insane how good they are.

3. Tony Martin - Thorns

• I still cannot believe how good this man's voice is at his age and this album got a lot of play from me when it came out. He really needs to do more.

Best of the rest:

Lalu - Paint The Sky
The Prize - S/T
Ashes Of Ares - Emperors And Fools
Blind Guardian - The God Machine
Halestorm - Back From The Dead
Ryo Okumoto - The Myth Of The Mostrophus
Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance

Best EP:

Primus - Conspiranoid

Disappointments of the year:

Megadeth - I called this The Sick, The Dying...And The Boring. I don't know, just never clicked. That astronaut song is an abomination.

Ugly Kid Joe - Holy crap is this album bad. Their last album and EP were excellent. Some of their best work. I never made it through my first listen of this. Just a terrible record.

Finds Of The Year:

Big Big Train - No band got listened to more this year than these guys. I was very late to the party but I listened to a crapload of their music all year long.

Arena - Finally dipped my toes into this band and have loved them as well.

Beyond The Black - No idea how I even came across them but I have really enjoyed all of their albums. Very solid band that has a writing team behind them that writes enjoyable music.

[twosuitsluke]

Normally I try and do my proper year-end lists on January 1st.  This year I think they might have to wait a week, just way too many albums left to check out (obviously I'll never get to everything, but there's a ton of heavy hitters I at least need to give cursory listens to in case they have a shot).  And my list is flatter than the last couple years, so it doesn't take as many listens to get a bit higher on it as it did those years.  I've already checked out at least three just in the last couple days that could become big players. 

Yea I'm planning to do a listen through of my top 50 (or maybe a few more) albums and get the rankings right. Top 10 is pretty solid but there's been a fair bit of movement outside the top 10, and some great late discoveries. As you'd said in your roulette, it's actually a bit difficult trying to do this alongside a roulette at this time of year.

[Nachtmerrie]

So, I finally got to Hundred Year Old Man...wow, quite a journey. I like how the musical climaxes really nail the "emotional" and epic combo. Maybe, given how long the album is already, I would've cut the long-ish interlude of sorts Monoamine, since it doesn't really add much (at least as a first impression), but overall I was impressed.

Another album I saw on your list as well as others on the interwebz is Brutus's Unison Life. I think I remember seeing them mentioned in the past (maybe it was another band with the same name? Not sure). Anyway, I didn't think it'd be in my wheelhouse, but I really enjoyed it. The vocals sometimes threaten to cross the line of too angsty (for my taste), but somehow they manage not to, and I'm actually liking them. Very cool record.

Brutus is fantastic. I love the raw energy and emotion in her voice combined with the diversity of their music. Their live release (Live in Ghent) is great because it captures that energy even better. I have tickets for two of their shows next year and I can't wait.

[lonestar]

2. The Warning - Error

• These ladies continue to amaze. Their 3rd studio album and they are only currently 21, 19 and 16. Just insane how good they are.

 

Another group that reassures me that the future of rock and metal is in very capable hands.

[HOF]

Took some time the last week or so to listen through my top albums to nail down the order, and also threw together a favorite songs list. This really was an outstanding year for music.

Top 10 albums:
   1.   Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Somapolis
   2.   Dim Gray - Firmament
   3.   Marillion - An Hour Before It’s Dark
   4.   Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point
   5.   Big Big Train - Welcome To The Planet
   6.   David Longdon - Door One
   7.   Kite Parade - The Way Home
   8.   PJ Moore & Co. - When A Good Day
   9.   Eric Johnson - The Book of Making/Yesterday Meets Today
   10.   D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings - Troika

Other albums (in no order):
- Esthesis - Watching Worlds Collide
- Fernando Perdomo - Out to Sea 4
- Fernando Perdomo - Jangle
- The Flower Kings - By Royal Decree
- King's X - Three Sides of One
- Nothing in Writing - New Lives for Rent
- Retreat From Moscow - The World We Used To Know
- Ryo Okumoto - The Myth of Mostrophus
- Tim Bowness - Butterfly Mind
- Yaatri - Lucid

Top 10 songs:
   1.   Marillion - Care
   2.   Sweet Billy Pilgrim - We Are the Bright Carvers/
Skywriting (cheating here).
   3.   David Longdon - The Letting Go
   4.   Tears for Fears - Rivers of Mercy
   5.   Big Big Train - Last Eleven
   6.   Marillion - The Crow and the Nightingale
   7.   Eric Johnson - My Faith In You
   8.   Kite Parade - Suffer No Longer
   9.   Big Big Train - Welcome To The Planet
   10.   Dim Gray - Avalon/The Tide

Other favorite songs (in no order):
- David Longdon - Love is All
- Dim Gray - Ashes
- Dim Gray - Meridian
- D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings - Everything I Am
- D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings - Julia
- Eric Johnson - Love Will Never Say Goodbye
- Fernando Perdomo - Dream State
- Fernando Perdomo - Keep Your Chin Up Girl
- The Flower Kings - A Million Stars
- Kite Parade - Letting Go
- Kite Parade - The Way Home
- Marillion - Sierra Leone   
- PJ Moore & Co. - When A Good Day Comes
- Retreat from Mosco - Radiation
- Ryo Okumoto - Crysalis
- Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Down I Go
- Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Get Back To What You Started
- Tears for Fears - Break the Man
- Tears for Fears - Stay
- Tim Bowness - Dark Nevada Dreams

[ozzy554]

I didn't exactly keep up with music releases this year but these were my favorites of what I did listen to.

The Warning - Error. Just straight forward rock done well. The band itself is one of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. They've already started doing some writing for their next album too.

Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9. Ozzy has been my favorite ever since I was a kid and I like every album he's done so this being here is no surprise. I do really enjoy the album though.

Ghost - Impera. Tobias Forge strikes again with another album full of ear worms that get stuck in my head for days. Spillways is one of my favorite songs of the year.

Sonja - Loud Arriver. I only listened to this one yesterday but I haven't been able to get a couple songs out of my head since so Ill throw it on here. Also knowing the shitty way Melissa Moore was fired from her previous band makes me happy to see this new project getting good reviews.

Tony Martin - Thorns. I was starting to believe this thing was never coming out. Really solid album that shows that Martin can still bring it in the studio. I hope we can get another one sometime in the near future.

[DTwwbwMP]

As is my "norm" I listen to all the current year' albums toward the end of year, and it's led to an updated re-ranking...not that anybody cares, LOL
My top 15 favorite albums of the year:
1. Queensryche “Digital Noise Alliance”
2. Slash w Myles Kennedy “4” 
3. Alter Bridge “Pawns & Kings”
4. Halestorm “Back From The Dead”
5. Disturbed “Divisive'”
6. Derek Sherinian “Vortex”
7. Muse “Will of The People”
8. Porcupine Tree “Closure/Continuation”
9. Ghost “Impera”
10. Ozzy Osbourne “Patient Number 9”
11. Saxon “Carpe Diem”
12. Scorpions “Rock Believer”
13. Shinedown “Planet Zero”
14. The Dead Daisies “Radiance”
15. Ann Wilson “Fierce Bliss”
Honorable mentions:
16. Def Leppard “Diamond Star Halos”
17. Ryo Okumoto “The Myth Of The Mostrophus”
....and many disappointments too

[nick_z]

Happy New Year, everyone!

I'm going to list a few favorite songs as well...alphabetical order by artist:

Alter Bridge - Fable of the Silent Son
Amorphis - The Moon
An Abstract Illusion - In the Heavens Above, You Will Become a Monster
Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting
A-Z - At the Waters Edge
Black Map - Witching Hour
Blind Guardian - Secrets of the American Gods
Brymir - Voices in the Sky
Cleanbreak - Coming Home
Clutch - Mercy Brown
Coheed and Cambria - Love Murder One
Darkest Era - A Path Made of Roots
Darkswoon - Eaten By Wolves
Dawn of Solace - Dying Light
Disillusion - Abide the Storm
Early Moods - Return to Salem's Gate
Freedom Hawk - Coming Home
Ghost - Kaisarion
Godless Truth - Breathe Fire
Halo Effect    - Gateways
Iris Divine - Thirteen
Megadeth - We'll Be Back
Messa - If You Want Her To Be Taken
Moon Tooth - Phototroph
Queensryche - Lost in Sorrow
Ruby the Hatchet - Change
Saor - The Ancient Ones
Satan - Luciferic
Secret Shame - Saccharine Dream
Seven Kingdoms - A Silent Remedy
Sonja - Fuck, Then Die
Sumerlands - Twilight Points the Way
Sylvaine - Mono No Aware
Threshold - Let It Burn
Devin Townsend - Call of the Void
Wilderun - Identifier

Didn't feel like ranking them, but if I were to pick the three or four favorites, I'd probably say An Abstract Illusion  - "In the Heavens...", Ghost - "Kaisarion", Halo Effect - "Gateways", Blind Guardian - "Secrets of the American Gods"

Some other great songs from the albums above:

Amorphis - Seven Roads Come Together
A-Z - Trial By Fire
Coheed and Cambria - Rise, Naianasha (Cut the Chord)
Dawn of Solace - White Noise
Ghost - Spillways
Ghost - Hunter's Moon
Halo Effect - The Needless End
Messa - Dark Horse
Queensryche - Behind the Walls
Sonja - Wanting Me Dead
Sumerlands - Heavens Above
Wilderun - Distraction III

[jingle.boy]

I haven't even finished ranking my albums, much less my favorite songs!

[lonestar]

Top songs?

Bloodywood- Dana Dan, Machi Bassaad
Band-Maid- From Now On
Allegaeon- Called Home, Beasts and Worms, To Carry My Grief Through Torpor and Silence (hands down best song name lol)
Marillion- Care
Lalu- Chosen Ones
Nemophila- Adabana, Enten, Zen
Lonesome_Blue- Superhero, Aurora

[Blind_FaithX]

1. An abstract illusion- Woe
2. Kardashev- liminal rite
3. Marillion- An hour before its dark
4. Glaston- I am whole
5. Soen- Atlantis
6. Blue October- Spinning the truth around
7. Venus principle- stand in your light
8. Lee abraham- Only human
9. Björn Riis- a fleeting glimpse
10. Dream unending- Song of salvation
11. Dance with dead- driven to madness
12. Nordic giant- Symbiosis
13. Lights & Motion- The World I remember
14. Deserta- every moment, everything you need
15. Esthesis- Watching worlds colide
16. Persefone- metanoia
17. Haevn- Holy Ground
18. Avandra- prodigal
19. Retrospective- introvert
20. A.A. Williams- As the moon rests


Note that there is a 100% chance that this will be different in a few months because none of these album have fully grown on me. I might do a new post in a few months just to compare.

Also song of the year for me is In the heaven above, you will become a monster by An Abstract Illusion.

[ariich]

Ok, I think I can make my final list now. I've given a good number of listens to everything I wanted to check out from the year. I'm sure I'll continue to discover other things that came out last year for years to come, but that's always the case.

I've decided to go with a top 25, and then a whole bunch of honourable mentions (basically being 8/10 albums that didn't make the top 25).

Top 25:

1. An Abstract Illusion - Woe
2. A.A. Williams - As the Moon Rests
3. Markéta Irglová - Lila
4. Soilwork - Övergivenheten
5. Pure Reason Revolution - Above Cirrus
6. Frank Turner - FTHC
7. Disillusion - Ayam
8. Devin Townsend - Lightwork
9. Actor|Observer - Songs for the Newly Reclusive
10. Amorphis - Halo
11. The Dear Hunter - Antimai
12. Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings
13. D'Virgilio, Morse & Jennings - Troika
14. Ghost - Impera
15. Threshold - Dividing Lines
16. Andy Gillion - Arcade Metal
17. Charlie Griffiths - Tiktaalika
18. Lonesome_Blue - Second to None
19. Röyksopp - Profound Mysteries I-III (I know they're separate releases but for ranking I'm treating them as one album!)
20. The Longest Johns - Smoke & Oakum
21. Porcupine Tree - Closure / Continuation
22. Jani Liimatainen - My Father's Son
23. The Weeknd - Dawn FM
24. NOFX - Double Album
25. Nemophila - Seize the Fate


Honourable mentions:

Aeternam - Heir of the Rising Sun
Anomalie - Galerie
Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One - Revel in Time
Antimatter - A Profusion of Thought
Architects - Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit
Arena - The Theory of Molecular Inheritance
Alex Banks - Projections
Andrew Bayer - Duality
Big Big Train - Welcome to the Planet
Blind Guardian - The God Machine
Bonobo - Fragments
Borealis - Illusions
The Butterfly Effect - IV
Max Cooper - Unspoken Words
Dance Gavin Dance - Jackpot Juicer
Destrage - So Much, Too Much
Diablo - When All the Rivers Are Silent
Dog Fashion Disco - Cult Classic
Drudkh - Всі належать ночі (All Belong to the Night)
Elder - Innate Passage
Ereb Altor - Vargtimman
Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait: The Orphean Testament
Everything Everything - Raw Data Feel
The Flower Kings - By Royal Decree
GoGo Penguin - Between Two Waves
Halestorm - Back From the Dead
The Halo Effect - Days of the Lost
Ed Harrison - Valley
He Is Legend - Endless Hallway
Illyria - Take Me Somewhere Beautiful
Infected Mushroom - IM25
Kardashev - Liminal Rite
Lonesome_Blue - First Utterance (EP)
Machine Head - ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN
Maraton - Unseen Color
Messa - Close
David Maxim Micic - BILO IV
Mors Principium Est - Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity
Muse - Will of the People
Null - Origin
Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash
Oddland - Vermilion
Ott - Heads
Owel - The Salt Water Well
Parius - The Signal Heard Throughout Space
Persefone - Metanoia
Psychonaut - Violate Consensus Reality
Sabaton - The War to End All Wars
Shinedown - Planet Zero
Silent Skies - Nectar
Regina Spektor - Home, Before and After
Thunder - Dopamine
Toehider - I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories
Von Hertzen Brothers - Red Alert in the Blue Forest
Weezer - SZNZ EPs (except Spring, which was mediocre)
White Ward - False Light
Wilderun - Epigone

[wolfking]

Jesus, how could I forget Soilwork?!  Definitely a top 5 album for me.

Love your number 1 Rich!   

[nick_z]

Love your number 1 Rich!   

Indeed!

Lots of great records all over the list, actually...

[twosuitsluke]

I'm still finishing up on some listens but am hoping to get my list finalised soon.

Is anyone planning to try and compile everyone's lists, and work out a DTF top 10 for last year?

Also, seeing Woe by An Abstract Illusion so high on people's lists make me feel I'm missing something with this album. I've listened to it 5 times but it hasn't grabbed me. I know tastes and all but it's in so many top 10s, and literally topped the last two lists posted!

That being said, on relistens to other albums I realised that I treated Rashomon by Ibaraki too harshly. That album has shot up my rankings.

Top 25:

1. An Abstract Illusion - Woe
6. Frank Turner - FTHC
7. Disillusion - Ayam
8. Devin Townsend - Lightwork
11. The Dear Hunter - Antimai
14. Ghost - Impera
17. Charlie Griffiths - Tiktaalika
24. NOFX - Double Album


Honourable mentions:


Elder - Innate Passage
Kardashev - Liminal Rite
Machine Head - ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN
Messa - Close
David Maxim Micic - BILO IV
Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash
Parius - The Signal Heard Throughout Space
Persefone - Metanoia
Psychonaut - Violate Consensus Reality
Toehider - I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories
White Ward - False Light
Wilderun - Epigone

Great list dude, and nice to see NOFX and Frank Turner making someone else's lists. All the above will certainly be making my list. No Coheed though? I thought you were somewhat of a fan, but maybe I'm mistaken.

[lonestar]

Nemophila and Lonesome_Blue 

Impressive to see an album make the list that was basically released in the last week of the year, definitely speaks to its caliber. Second to None is amazing.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

1 - David Maxim Micic - Bilo IV
2 - Kate Havnevik - Lightship
3 - REMINA - Strata
4 - Red Handed Denial - I'd Rather Be Asleep
5 - Carpenter Brut - Leather Terror
6 - Sylvaine - Nova
7 - Giant Walker - All In Good Time
8 - Morphide - Anhedonia
9 - Emily Jane White - Alluvion
10 - AEries - Arcanum
11 - Darkher - The Buried Storm
12 - Zola Jesus - Arkhon
13 - Frayle - Skin & Sorrow
14 - Messa - Close
15 - White Ward - False Light
16 - Yaatri - Lucid
17 - Dreadnought - The Endless
18 - YAYA Kim - a.k.a. YAYA
19 - Shape of Despair - Return To the Void
20 - Ashes of Ares - Emperors and Fools
21 - Cobra the Impaler - Colossal Gods
22 - Autumn's Grey Solace - Therium
23 - A.A. Williams - As the Moon Rests
24 - Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting
25 - Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait: The Orphean Testament
26 - Lost Domain - Merchant of Emotions
27 - Jani Liimatainen - My Father's Son
28 - Pure Reason Revolution - Above Cirrus
29 - Blind Guardian - The God Machine
30 - Celldweller - Satellites
31 - Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash
32 - Demonical - Mass Destroyer
33 - Dream Unending - Song of Salvation
34 - Visions of Atlantis - Pirates
35 - Tedeschi Trucks Band - I Am the Moon: I. Crescent
36 - Revocation - Netherheaven
37 - Battle Beast - Circus of Doom
38 - Star One - Revel In Time
39 - Amorphis - Halo
40 - Entrails - An Eternal Time of Decay


Honorable Mentions - Tier 1:

40 Watt Sun - Perfect Light
Aeternam - Heir of the Rising Sun
Allen/Olzon - Army of Dreamers
Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings
An Abstract Illusion - Woe
Animals As Leaders - Parrhesia
Arch Enemy - Deceivers
Atomic Symphony - Hybris
Atrium Carceri/Kammarheit - Colossus
Avishai Cohen Trio - Shifting Sands
Bjork - Fossora
Bloodbath - Survival of the Sickest
Celeste - Assassine(s)
Deathless Legacy - Mater larvarum
Depressed Mode - Decade of Silence
Derek Sherinian - Vortex
Disillusion - Ayam
Edenbridge - Shangri-La
Elder - Innate Passage
Envy of None - s/t
Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter
Halestorm - Back From the Dead
i_o & Lights - Warehouse Summer
Ithaca - They Fear Us
Kaipa - Urskog
Lalu - Paint the Sky
Leather - We Are the Chosen
Luna Fawn Ripley - Death of a Songbird
Maceration - It Never Ends...
Mecha Maiko - NOT OK
Mindwarden - Timeless
Minuit Machine - 24
Miseration - Black Miracles and Dark Wonders
MMXX - Sacred Cargo
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Crooked Tree
Moriah Woods - Human
Nightrage - Abyss Rising
Punch Brothers - Hell on Church Street
Ripped To Shreds - Jubian
Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory
Setyoursails - Nightfall
Shaam Larein - Sticka en kniv I varlden
Sharon Van Etten - We've Been Going About This All Wrong
Soilwork - Overgivenheten
Tears For Fears - The Tipping Point
The Birthday Massacre - Fascination
The Hellacopters - Eyes of Oblivion
The Interrupters - In the Wild
triosence - Giulia
Wine From Tears - I'm Fine...
Zguba - Znoj

Honorable Mentions - Tier 2:

Ardours - Anatomy of a Moment
Charlie Griffiths - Tiktaalika
Charlotte Wessels - Tales From Six Feet Under Vol. II
Cloakroom - Dissolution Wave
Cult of Luna - The Long Road North
Dance With the Dead - Driven to Madness
Devin Townsend - Lightwork
E-L-R - Vexier
Emma Ruth Rundle - EG2: Dowsing Voice
Encryptment - Dodens fodsel
First Aid Kit - Palomino
Giant - Shifting Time
Hangman's Chair - A Loner
Hatchie - Giving the World Away
Immolation - Acts of God
In Loving Memory - The Withering
King's X - Three Sides of One
Knight Area - D-Day II: The Final Chapter
Lana Lane - Neptune Blue
Lights - PEP
Lisa Batiashvili - Secret Love Letters
Master Boot Record - Personal Computer
Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying...and the Dead!
Michael Romeo - War of the Worlds//Pt. 2
Persefone - Metanoia
Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation
Projected - Hypoxia
Queensryche - Digital Noise Alliance
Silversun Pickups - Physical Thrills
SZA - SOS
Teremaze - Flight of the Wounded
The Anix - REVENGE
The Gathering - Beautiful Distortion
The Halo Effect - Days of the Lost
The Midnight - Heroes
The Weeknd - Dawn FM
Those Who Bring the Torture - Cosmos Osmosis
Tigran Hamasyan - StandArt
Tineldae - Mothership
Ty Tabor - Shades

EPs:

Kingfisher Sky - Walk the Plank
Spiritbox - Rotoscope
Shedfromthebody - Destruction/Breathing/Healing
Vila - Liminal Space
Sara Gazarek - Vanity
Pre-Human Vaults - Allegiance Divine
GoGo Penguin - Between Two Waves
Marissa Nadler - The Wrath of the Clouds
Lethian Dreams - EnVain
Hanging Garden - Neither Moth Nor Rust
R. Missing - Placelessness and Saturnining
Silver Talon - Bloodflow
The Answer Lies in the Black Void - In Obsidian Clouds
Frou Frou - Off Cuts
Purity Ring - Graves
TesseracT - Regrowth
Emma Ruth Rundle - Orpheus Looking Back

Super flat year.  The ranking is so granular albums are easily close to leapfrogging a bunch ahead of them if I gave them another listen.  I made the executive decision in the past couple months especially to spend much more time giving one-listens to albums to see if anything would hit rather than additional plays to ones I'd already heard.  I'm sure I'll be sorting out this year for years to come.