This has become one of those dipshit blogs that don't update often and look like a graveyard circa 2004. I didn't even bother doing one of these lists last year.
In the past when I wrote about albums, I'd rattle off their superior qualities in comparison to others. The typical adjective Olympics, "I went to more uni than you did" toss. This year, I am going to keep it simple: which records did I listen to the most? I'm not even going to look up Last.fm to figure it out, either. I think I can remember which records stayed on my turntable or CD player the most. I'm not a fucking robot.
So, here we go:
10. Kataklysm - Meditations
With the Northern Hyperblast put out to pasture, Canadian eh Kataklysm had to replace speed with strength. They kind of kicked ass with it.
9. Born Lion - Celebrate the Lie
Australia's answer to Danko Jones - minus the meme worship. If Danko and BL tour the country, I'll be right there next to 'em. See also: Bare Bones.
8. Underoath - Erase Me
I know a lot of people shit on this record for some reason, but you have to divorce it from the entire Underoath you knew and loved. It's their Black Celebration in reverse. No heroin addictions required. It's the opposite of Flood to Depeche Mode in 1990: "If you wanna play electronics, then play your fucking electronics."
7. Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
This one had to be pried from my cold, dead car CD player. One of the most inventive death metal records in yonks, that didn't have that "we're too good for death metal" air about it. All the best bits from the last 20 years crammed into one disc.
6. Architects - Holy Hell
I don't like this LP as much as Your Gods Have Abandoned Us. Gods had fire in its belly, this kind of doesn't. Even so, it's still in my CD player since ripping it out of my post box in October.
5. Judas Priest - Firepower
This was such a treat for long-suffering metal fans. It was like hearing Painkiller and Screaming For Vengeance for the first time again, reminding us why we love this genre in the first place. Thank Satan for Richie Faulkner.
4. Teenage Wrist - Chrome Neon Jesus
Sometimes bands that take bits of all your favourites, that being Katatonia, Oceansize, and modern pop-punk, mashes 'em together and serves it like you ordered it special. This is a must have disc for prog fans, shoegaze lovers, and anyone who likes losing themselves in thought.
3. Omnium Gatherum - The Burning Cold
I know; melodic death metal is the red-headed stepchild in the metal world at the moment. When's the last melodeath record anyone really gave a fuck about? The Ride Majestic? I love this record because it captures the spirit of what melodeath is all about; taking risks and being out there. Gods Go First is such a well crafted song, despite it being so fucking weird.
2. Ghost - Prequelle
It's KISS Destroyer for the 2010s. Have you heard the non-single tracks on Destroyer? Not exactly top to bottom clones of Detroit Rock City, that's for sure. It's something more grandiose than that. It's not metal, it's not pop, and it's not a cookie-cutter half-and-half blend of either. It sits in that creepy haunted house on the border of bubblegum throwaway and absolute classic. Maybe Aussies love it so much because we can't get over ABBA.
1. Hellions - Rue
The resale value for my vinyl copy is nearing zero. Such a wonderful record, in the truest sense of the word. What these gentlemen conjure is really nothing short of magic.
I had a couple of disappointments too: Pagan's Black Wash only managed a couple spins on my turntable. There was an uncomfortable feeling that I'd heard it all before, and done better (by Kvelertak.) Can't fault them live, though. Behemoth have also succumbed to Star Trek movie syndrome. That being, every second release they make sucks. I Loved You At Your Darkest wasn't awful, but it certainly was too ambitious for the big boy britches it stomped around in.
Other pick-ups you should look for is At The Gates To Drink From the Night Itself, the true successor to Slaughter of the Soul; High On Fire's Electric Messiah, which is Sleep haunted by Lemmy; Khemmis newie Desolation; and DZ Deathrays' Bloody Lovely. It doesn't have a Gina Works at Hearts, nor does it have that Vaseline-over-lens feeling of dried out hangover music any more. DZ Deathrays are growing up, bless 'em.