Honestly, I think that in terms of overall satisfaction, this was quite lackluster compared to years prior. A large chunk of blockbusters with an abnormal amount of hype (and in some cases, absurdly expensive budgets) failed to live up to expectations, or in some cases, just plain stank. We weren't without some fabulously entertaining moments however, especially when "awards season" kicked off. Music was also exceptional this year, and there are quite a lot of records that I will feel sad leaving off of my own personal top twenty list because it was just that stacked. Before I reveal my own picks, I'll just get one thing out of the way: I only listened to perhaps two records this year that I strongly disliked, but couldn't bring myself to flat out hate. Those two albums were Queensryche-Frequency Unknown and Black Sabbath-13. With the former, it seems like an easy target, but considering the pompous feeling that resonates during every track, coupled with the hilarious drama surrounding the formerly great band (this album's initials are "F U" after all), I couldn't help but give Mr. Geoff Tate's incarnation of Queensryche a dishonorable mention. As for Sabbath, it truly does break my heart to have to say anything negative about the band these days, or any day for that matter. Still, the album did absolutely nothing for me, and its glossy production (courtesy of the usually great Rick Rubin) didn't help disguise the mostly soulless playing heard throughout. And yes, I'm still in favor of Bill Ward coming back to the band, even though I still love Brad Wilk and his previous work with Rage Against the Machine.
Now that I've spent my time essentially taking a dump on the legends of old and their reluctance to hang it up, let us dive into my top twenty albums of 2013. Due to the sheer size seen here, this will be end up as a three part posting, as opposed to last year's two parter, with today encompassing records only. So if you don't particularly care about these styles of music, check back later for my choices for the best and worst of movies in 2013.
20. Revocation-Revocation
For some reason, this band never quite clicked with me every time I had listened to them, and I thought they sounded like a weaker version of Burnt By The Sun when I saw them live, but I'm willing to eat a big bowl of crow for these previous thoughts. This self-titled album contains very solid technical, thrashy death metal with quite catchy and precise guitar solos. True, I think the vocals could still use some work, but these guys are quite young after all. Did I mention that they make good use of a friggin' banjo?!
19. Power Trip-Manifest Decimation
I hinted last year that I was mostly bored with hardcore now, but the modern Texas crossover madmen still managed to keep my attention (and not just by signing with Southern Lord Recordings) by getting even heavier, faster, and more retro-sounding. Yes, the thrash revival of the modern era has pretty much overstayed its welcome, but I suspect that Power Trip, along with a couple of other particular bands who will show up later on this list, will be around much longer than folks will suspect.
18. Paint It Black-Invisible
Speaking of hardcore, Dan Yemin is the man. An intelligent, well spoken musician with a doctorate in psychology, the Paint it Black frontman has been around for over twenty years, recording music with an assortment of acts that seem to (shockingly) get better and better every time a new project forms. As for why this doesn't rank higher? Well, for one thing, it is only an EP, as opposed to an entire album. Shortness aside, the six tracks of melodic hardcore heard here are all winners, and make me salivate at the possibility of a new full-length arriving sooner than later.
17. Blood Ceremony-The Eldritch Dark
Okay, I'll confess to being almost sick to death of the retro metal revival/70s worship that seems to be the bees knees among most music critics and fans these days (I apologize if I'm complained about this before). I'm more fascinated by seeing where the genre is going to go, rather than see it take several steps back. All of that grumbling aside, most of the music that has been coming out has been very, very good. I'm legitimately surprised that I never gave this band a listen before, especially considering the quality of albums released by Rise Above Records and my penchant for most bands who convey a very psychedelic "cult initiation" feeling. And what Revocation was able to do with a banjo, these Canadians manage to do with a flute, and several times at that.
16. Cough/Windhand-Reflections of the Negative (Split)
No, this is not favoritism because my band has played with these two Virginia doom bands several times. And no, I'm not choosing this over Windhand's own full-length released this year in order to be "cool." Truth be told, I actually haven't gotten around to checking out Windhand-Soma due to my own incompetence. I chose this because all three songs featured here just crush your very soul, especially the haunting two pieces from the latter. I'm not exactly certain about what runs through the waters of Richmond that helps to create such memorable, dirging madness, but I think we could use a bit of it here.
15. Weekend Nachos-Still
Was it just me, or did this new release from this well-known raging hardcore/powerviolence group just kind of come and go without much attention? Maybe this is just due to the fact that I think the band should be much bigger than they are at the moment, and have been getting even heavier with every release. Oh, I forget that sometimes that is a kiss of death in an occasionally choosy scene littered with short attention spans. But speaking of short, if you're in the mood for short, fast, angry, and even a little bit of sarcastic music (they may pack the most random and hilarious merch around), give this a whirl.
14. Russian Circles-Memorial
When it comes to the world of post-rock and post-metal, some albums resonate so well, you can't really post or discuss an individual track, since it feels like you're doing a disservice to the other equally mighty and impressive songs featured throughout. Such is the newest work from long-running instrumentalists Russian Circles, who may have made their strongest and most emotional album to date. If you're willing to submit to this style, you can find it is quite the journey, full of mixed emotions (all ultimately positive) and memorable parts, including a guest vocal(!) appearance from someone who will appear later on the list. I'm quite giddy to finally see them live for the first time next month.
13. Off With Their Heads-Home
I'm quite pissed off with myself that I didn't know misery-loving punk rockers Off With Their Heads had released a new album in the first quarter of the year, and I didn't discover this fact until NOVEMBER. It is a crying shame since I think that with more time, this could have easily made my top ten of the year. Mind you, this is by no means the fault of anyone or anything but myself, considering that the band is just as pissed as I am, but with many more catchy hook-laden choruses and verses than I could ever hope to come up with. If you're ever craving a band that proves the old formula of two negatives equal a positive (in this case, one is a listener down in the dumps, and the other is lyricist Ryan Young), you may have found your new favorite act.
12. Blockheads-This World Is Dead
I may have to retract that statement about savaging the old guard, since France's Blockheads have been around since 1992, grinding and raging with the very best of them. At the risk of losing any potential future readers from "big" publications, good god almighty does this album rule very, VERY hard, especially if you're a fan of bands like Napalm Death, Terrorizer, and Nasum. Perhaps it could use a little more diversity among its twenty-five tracks, but you'll be too busy screaming with the socio-political lyrics and thrashing around wherever you may be to care or notice.
11. Magic Circle-Magic Circle
Having mentioned this supergroup in last year's "honorable mentions" list, I was pleased to learn that they didn't just fade into obscurity like other side projects in the hardcore scene, especially given how un-hardcore they are. Instead, they came back with a vengeance, releasing one of the most soaring traditional doom metal records I've heard in some time. Who would have thought that the singer for The Rival Mob had these type of pipes on him? I expect that by this time next year, Magic Circle will have been picked up by a more prominent record label. If not, there is no justice in this world.
Note: unfortunately, nearly every track from the self-titled effort has not been approved for sharing on blogspot, so I implore you to copy and paste this link into your browser for enjoyment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2y1iWZop6Q
10. Toxic Holocaust-Chemistry of Consciousness
Evil, catchy, speedy without going too long, and drug-laden. It's a new Toxic Holocaust record, what more can you ask for? Okay, that description isn't very subtle, but Joel Grind and crew (which used to just be Grind himself) pull no punches on this fifth album, churning out punk-inspired thrash and speed metal like nobody's business. While I don't think it can compete with their works of old (crap, there's my elitist side coming out), it is miles ahead of most other acts out there, mostly thanks to the exceptional production from Converge's Kurt Ballou. Plus, the video for single "Acid Fuzz" is appropriately fitting.
9. Mammoth Grinder-Underworlds
If riff city is a real place, Mammoth Grinder live in the nicest area one could find. Or is it the nastiest part? Okay, I can't do geography jokes very well, but it doesn't really matter in the end when the music kicks your ass this much. Like Power Trip and the now-defunct (or are they?) Iron Age, these Texans know how to pack a devastating punch to every part of your body that is vulnerable, and again, have been getting heavier with each release. If Dismember, Venom, and Motorhead were thrown into a blender….well, they'd all be deceased, and it would create a bloody mess. Alright, I'll quit with the jokes! Go listen to this and headbang until your neck snaps.
8. Skeletonwitch-Serpents Unleashed
Incredible cover art aside, Skeletonwitch's last two records did almost nothing for me. Live, the blackened-thrash metal band still destroys most out there, but it just felt like they were going with the flow. Thankfully, making the decision to team up with Kurt Ballou and Alan Douches on the producing and mastering side of things may have breathed some new life into this band, as they haven't sounded this tight and alive in six years. This is a pure heavy metal album at its core. New cover art from the always incredible John Baizley was a nice bonus too. Bravo gentlemen.
7. Chelsea Wolfe-Pain is Beauty
Upon first listen, I almost put this in my "disappointment" pile, but with continual returns, and an insistence that I must be crazy to dislike a new record from the usually intoxicating Ms. Wolfe, I found myself enjoying it more and more. This is how one artist evolves while still staying true to themselves, and still being shrouded in the darkness and misery that made them popular in the first place. Chelsea's brand of goth and doom-tinged neofolk (no way to not sound like a pretentious dickbag there) is a bit of an acquired taste, but the woman is very talented nonetheless. With an opening slot for Queens of the Stone Age coming up, along with being featured in the new Game of Thrones teaser, the future is certainly much brighter than I think even she would have expected.
6. Clutch-Earth Rocker
If there was a category for best "comeback" record of the year, I think Clutch would have taken the award without any second thought. True, the band had not hit a slump or even released a bad album within the past few years, but I thought previous release Strange Cousins From the West was quite boring for the most part. Boredom will be the last thing on your mind while checking out Earth Rocker though, as this is no-frills, no bullshit, riff-filled stoner rock and roll. For the longest part of their career, Clutch were unmatched in this category, and frontman/lyricist Neil Fallon said they just wanted to make a straight up good rock record this time. Well, I think you've delivered in spades my fellow Marylanders. To quote one Ashley Williams, it is quite "Groovy."
5. Subrosa-More Constant Than The Gods
Mother of mercy. Emotional doesn't even begin to describe the feelings one gets while listening to the female-fronted avant-garde sludge/doom metal group's second full-length, though an extra feeling that will come over you suggests that Profound Lore continue to be the champions of underground heavy music. From the get go, the haunting and violin-filled opening of "The Usher" sets the mood just perfectly, and you won't want the record to end, perhaps even in fear of the band members' lives or your own. I don't know if the band has any plans to tour outside of the West Coast in 2014, but should they read this, I implore that you stop somewhere in the Carolinas in the near future. Sludge metal and music in general this unique needs to be heard by more than a few select individuals.
4. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats-Mind Control
Without a doubt, this band is THE talk of the town among hardcore metalheads right now, especially given that they'll be playing their first stateside show within four months of this post, and have even attracted the attention of people normally not interested in the genre. Heck, they even recently got to open for Black Sabbath in the United Kingdom, something unheard of for a band of their style (even if their own sound strongly harkens back to the originators' own heyday). This doesn't mean it isn't warranted, since the tracks provided on Mind Control are just as breathtaking and well-structured as previous record Bloodlust, making one feel as if they've been transported back to the decades where drug use was the norm, and psychotic cults were one of the most feared thoughts in the minds of families. If you haven't taken a chance on this band yet, you are missing out.
3. Purson-The Circle and the Blue Door
Speaking of Uncle Acid, these relative newcomers (also from the U.K.) were the openers on their own headlining tour, for which I can't express enough jealousy towards our overseas friends. It may not be fair to call Purson a metal band, since their love of mellotron and psychedelic overtones have more in common with late-60s bands like Jefferson Airplane than anything else. Heck, I've even seen them in interviews site The Beatles as their greatest influence. Good music is good music though, and the tracks provided here are equal parts enchanting, memorable, bewitching, and powerful. Oh, and their lead singer Rosalie can sing her ass off, which is always a plus. This honestly could have made the spot for my favorite record of the year, but like OWTH, I discovered this a little too late. Hopefully nobody else makes that same mistake.
2. Oathbreaker-Eros/Anteros
There were a plethora of records that went largely unnoticed in 2013, including some honorable mentions I'll bring up at the end of this list. Belgium metallic hardcore band Oathbreaker, who have appeared before on my EOTY list (Maelstrom came in at #12 in 2011), released their magnum opus earlier in the year, and not a single soul seemed to notice until the final weeks of the year were coming to a close. Me? Well, I've been trying to champion this record as much as I could to my friends who are into extreme music. The band has incorporated more elements from black metal, doom metal, and post-metal into their sound now, making for a truly harrowing and pulverizing experience. Frontwoman Caro Tanghe sounds like she's on the verge of being torn limb from limb, and on the crawling and creepy "The Abyss Looks Into Me," she sounds like she's eerily ready to depart this plane. Along with her equally furious bandmates, they have concocted a truly tremendous piece of work not just in the world of hardcore or metal, but in the world of music.
1. KEN Mode-Entrench
And here we have it, the cream of the crop. I didn't think that Canada's KEN Mode would be able to top the quite awesome Venerable from 2011, but I've been pleasantly proven wrong multiple times this year. With a steady lineup and an absolutely killer production job from Matt Bayles (who produced what is still my favorite Mastodon record, Remission), the combat sports and Anthony Peer-loving Canucks churned out the most furious, passionate, and destructive album of the year. While KEN Mode has been around for some time, they really did hone their sound this time around, which is a very dissident combination of sludge metal, noise rock, and post-hardcore. The lyrics are, for the most part, shockingly pessimistic throughout, and it reflects on you the listener. "Romeo Must Never Know" is the best song Isis never wrote, while the guest appearances from hardcore giants Dave Verellen and Tim Singer (of Botch and Deadguy respectively) on tracks "The Promises of God" and "No, I'm In Control" only add to the incredible effort put out. I would say that I'm "proud" of the guys for putting out something this damn good, especially given the praise that Venerable (rightly) received, but I don't think they need my good words, and would tell me to figure my life out.
And there you have it! Good lord did that take a long time to write. Shockingly, I am not done though, as there were a few honorable mentions worth talking about and also grabbing if you have the chance. They are:
-Nails-Abandon All Life (if there was a tie for #20, this would have been right up there)
-Holy-The Age Of Collapse (for the people who miss bands like Lewd Acts)
-Modern Life is War-Fever Hunting (welcome back fellas, even if it has only been five years)
-Ulcerate-Vermis (this was a very selective year for me and death metal)
-Creem-The Curator EP (still doing a great job, even if the vocals have changed a bit)
Come back soon for the posting of the best and worst for movies in 2013!
