I did it last year. So here’s my list for this year. It was rough deciding who to mention and who to leave out. I started with a list of about 40 albums I thought were worthy. After about 20 minutes of arranging all of them, I decided on the following as my final list.
1. Break the Silence - Near Life Experience
Killer band! They rocked at Warped Tour even though they were only playing a tent. These guys are the perfect fusion of punk and metal. That is why they are my album of the year.
2. All That Remains - This Darkened Heart
Technical metal at its best. There?s so much to listen to. I feel deprived by only getting 10 songs. Give me more.
3. Underminded - Hail Unamerican!
I?ll admit, Aaron from DecoyMusic.com did his job with these guys. I didn?t give them a listen for a few months after he had been talking them up, but slowly I became hooked. I?m a sucker for gang choruses too.
4. A Wilhelm Scream - Mute Print
Far better than anyone in the punk genre that I can think of. They play a very technical style that you don?t really see too often in this genre, yet it holds to that simplistic punk sound so well.
5. Haste the Day - Burning Bridges
These guys made such a jump going from their EP to this full length. While I was a fan of their EP, this album blew it out of the water. Brutal and beautiful at the same time. And all these kind words coming from an Agnostic.
6. Unearth - The Oncoming Storm
Another late bloomer with me. Not a huge fan of their previous stuff, but this album is crushingly heavy.
7. Underoath - They?re Only Chasing Safety
I didn?t listen to these guys for awhile just because of the hype surrounding them. I?d also heard their old stuff was way more hardcore, which turned me off. Once giving them a listen, I couldn?t get enough.
8. Lostprophets - Start Something
Been a fan of these guys since their early days. This album is much more accessible than their first, but it?s so damn catchy! I?ll admit I miss their old sound, but this new one I can appreciate as well.
9. Alexisonfire - Watch Out!
Checked these guys out after seeing them live. They didn?t do much for me during the show, but I think I was just standing too close to the guitarist. Stellar album.
10. Shadows Fall - The War Within
Metal gods! They wrote an awesome record this time around. Technical as hell. These guys are on the up and up.
The following albums, I thought, were candidates for a top 10 slot, but couldn?t quite make it over the others. It was really hard leaving these guys off my top 10, but I had to make cuts somewhere. I know there are so many bands I didn’t list here who got a ton of listens this year.
Atreyu - The Curse
Dead Poetic - New Medicines
Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartbreak
36 Crazyfists - A Snow Capped Romance
Eighteen Visions - Obsession
The Showdown - A Chorus of Obliteration
It Dies Today - The Caitiff Choir
Good choices, except for The Showdown. I wasn’t impressed by them.
How can you not LIKE The Showdown!?