More black metal! I can never have enough. Mutilation Rites released this portal into the catacombs earlier this year and slashed their way into my list without a doubt. If you can think of atmospheric structure in black metal but minus the melody, kinda similar to Krallice, then thats how I think about Chasm. Get your robe and your lantern and be ready for pure darkness.
37. Rich Brian - Amen
The artist formally known as Rich Chigga. The latest album from the young Indonesian rapper is a huge step into success. Usually when Billy Mourned recommends a rap album to me, he does not steer me wrong. I wasn't big into Rich Chigga, but Rich Brian's Amen is a great refresher that takes a more serious approach with his music, even featuring guests such as Joji and Offset.
36. JPEGMAFIA - Veteran
I have never heard an album like this. At first, Veteran can be hard to swallow but after a few songs, it goes down like water. JPEGMAFIA uses weird noises and sounds with unethical beats that for whatever reason he can keep up with when rapping. Similar to Death Grips but not obnoxious and chaotic. The album is a good blend of ignorance and chill. If you love weird hip hop like I do, give JPEGMAFIA your attention. Bonus points for the song title, "I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies"
35. Nothing - Dance On the Blacktop
This album cover creeps me out. With Nothing's previous release being more on the alt. rock side, I was really hoping they would come back to the original sound with this one. Luckily they brought it back for the most part. Nothing doesn't need another Guilty of Everything and that is not necessarily what Dance on The Blacktop is. The fact that it brings the shoegaze sound back is enough for me.
34. Thou - Magus
Thou have been firing off releases left and right this year with the help of the great Deathwish Inc. Each one is absolutely incredible, this one is technically the only LP and it is a heavyweight. If you know what Thou are about, you know the evil doomy sludge that is conjured from their sound. With all the releases Thou put out this year, Magus takes the main elements of each and ties them all together. A spectacular blend of droney gothic doom with hints of melody and folk. Easily one of the heaviest releases of the year. If half the population played Thou at the same time, it would literally cause an earthquake.
33. Hopesfall - Arbiter
Favorite Track: H.A. Wallace Space Academy
Zach is gonna bite my dick off when he sees this not in my top ten, but fuck him. Hopesfall return after a long eleven years. If you're like me, you didn't dig the two albums after Satellite Years, but of course you can't always expect a band to go back to being what they once were. Hopesfall continued more with the space rock influence and kept the space theme as well and only replaced the metalcore influence with a more post hardcore sound and boom, you got Arbiter. Welcome back Hopesfall.
32. Bosse-de-Nage - Further Still
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Black Metal/Shoegaze FFO: Deafheaven, Harakiri for the Sky, Botanist
I've followed Bosse-de-Nage since I first heard the split they did with Deafheaven and have been waiting for them to be recognized ever since. Once again Deathwish Inc. brings much needed attention to a talented band that deserves it. Further still is like a darker side of the "blackgaze" movement. There is a strong string of post hardcore influence that I feel is uncommon amongst black metal. Even screamo influence is present. I feel if I heard this album during my Screamo phase in high school, I would never have friends and eat lunch in the bathroom.
31. Nicole Dollanganger - Heart Shaped Bed
I feel most found out about Nicole Dollanganger through the Code Orange Forever tour, or from her guest spot on Trumpeting Ecstasy by Full of Hell. Either way, Heart Shaped bed has been an anticipated release that Nicole was teasing for a few months. I remember first hearing Lemonade and loved it so much that I was checking her bandcamp every week to see if the album was out. Nicole's angellic voice is almost too soothing and the smooth atmosphere to add to it just makes the album all the more enjoyable. Much less creepy than her previous works and far more emotional. I can already see her touring on this album in the near future.
30. Nightmarer - Cacophony of Terror
Genre: Death Metal FFO: War From a Harlots Mouth, Our Place of Worship is Silence, Pyrron
All I needed to hear to know that this album would be on here was: "...Featuring members of War From A Harlot's Mouth and Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky". You can easily hear the similarities between Nightmarer and WFAHM. Mostly comparable to the album Voyeur. Pretty much just add in the vocalist of SWWAATS and throw in more technicality. In a way, I feel like it takes off where WFAHM left off, however it is a completely different band, far more death metal, far more serious, however it deals with the same theme of fear and terror. What a supergroup, and what a debut. Incredible!
29. Pastel Ghost - Ethereality
I only just discovered Pastel Ghost and just the name was enough to rope me in. Electronic music I am very skeptical about only because of the lack of instruments. To stand out with electronic music, you gotta be creative. That being said, Pastel Ghost is very creative. Ethereality makes you feel like you are living inside a computer before social media took over. Close your eyes and all you will see is color changing lights in multiple patterns.
28. Esben and The Witch - Nowhere
Genre: Neo Folk with Doom Influences FFO: Chelsea Wolfe, Of the Wand and the Moon, Zola Jesus
Doom folk intrigues me like no other. Esben and The Witch produce this monster of an album that is almost like one long poem with aural evil behind it in the most beautiful way. The operatic vocals are very comparable to the latest Zola Jesus album (A top 10 from last year) with the heaviness of modern Chelsea Wolfe and clean indie parts that are surprisingly comparable to atmospheric black metal. This band grabbed my attention by the balls and won't let go any time soon. Outstanding!
26. MØL - JORD
Genre: Black Metal/Shoegaze FFO: Deafheaven, Harakiri for the Sky, Astronoid
Favorite Track: Ligament
Again with more "blackgaze". One that I never listened to until this year, MØL, blow most of these bands out of the water completely. Best listened to at night under a sea of stars in my opinion. When a band comes from a country you don't hear about very often, (Denmark in this case) it's definitely worth checking out. if you are a fan of Deafheaven, I guarantee you will love this.
25. Ash Code - Perspektive
Genre: Industrial/Darkwave FFO: Cold Cave, Ritual Howls, The Agnes Circle
Favorite Track: Black Gloves
I believe I put this album on the fall playlist a few months back, so welcome back. Ash Code are a UK darkwave group that make me want to go to a goth rave. Perspektive is a balance of heaviness and Joy Division type post punk that really makes me bask in darkness. I will say I feel some would find this album edgy and annoying, but I think its what makes it so good. Consider it the soundtrack to the goth kid in the trenchcoat at school. For full effect, you should wear sunglasses when listening.
24. Tomb Mold - Manor of Infinite Forms
Genre: Death Metal FFO: Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne
Favorite Track: Abysswalker
We've been hearing about a lot of death metal bands like Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, Undergang, etc. Add Tomb Mold to that list. What a band. Seeing them twice this year just makes me love the album even more. The whole thing is about a little game called Dark Souls which is easily the most metal game imaginable. Manor of Infinite Forms is a perfect soundtrack to your undead demon slaying adventure. If you summon for Smaug and Orstein, you're a pussy.
23. Birds in Row - We Already Lost the World
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Screamo/Crust FFO: Loma Prieta, OathBreaker, Ampere
Favorite Track: We Count So You Don't Have to
I can't say I know too many bands from France. Birds in Row I have been a fan of since high school, but this might be next level. We Already Lost the World adds far more emotion to the sound leaning more towards the screamo side, but with just the right amount of chaos to balance it out. Even sprinkled in some OathBreaker style black etal as well. I will say the best experience live was at ONCE ballroom with KEN Mode a few months ago. Every inch of the atmosphere was perfect and that image is burnt into my head every time I hear this.
22. Dir En Grey - The Insulated World
Genre: Progressive/Experimental Death Metal/J-Rock FFO: D'espairsray, The Red Chord, Anime soundtracks
Favorite Track: Devote My Life
I never know what to expect when I hear a new album from the Japanese monsters in Dir En Grey. No matter what, they find a way to keep things interesting with random experimentation that fit the song perfectly. The Insulated world has some weird stuff as you could probably tell by the cover but two things remain: heavy riffs, and Kyo's ridiculous speedy vocal moments. This band as long as many others from Japan will never disappoint. This album was a surprise for most but I've been checking for it since the beginning of the year.
21. Innumerable Forms - Punishment in Flesh
Genre: Death Metal FFO: Spectral Voice, Ritual Necromancy, Ascended Dead
Favorite Track: Purity's Demand
Now this is death metal. Innumerable Forms are straight from Massachusetts with a hunger for death. Easily one of the heaviest (if not the heaviest) death metal records of the year. I would say this is basically a super group of musicians of BHC for the most part I believe. This whole thing is just punishing death with multiple doomy riffs that will just crush your soul and leave your body an empty husk. Death Metal.
20. Emma Ruth Rundle - On Dark Horses
Genre: Indie w/ Post-Rock influence/Neo Folk FFO: Chelsea Wolfe, Marriages, King Woman
Favorite Track: Apathy on the Indian Border
Emma will probably make my list every year she releases something. This beautiful soul releases equally beautiful music and will never cease to amaze me. The performance earlier this year at Great Scott was something to low and behold. To understand her music with every project she has been a part of, you should check this one out. A good amount of every influence from her projects is involved and blended together into an incredible product.
19. Esoctrilihum - Pandaemorthium
Genre: Death Metal FFO: Bloodbath, Blood Incantation, Devouring Star
Favorite Track: Prison of Flesh
Esoctrilihum takes the title of death metal album of the year. This one may also take artwork of the year. If that cover isn't enough to draw you in, well you might be a poser. This album has the subtle progression similar to Bloodbath but not overdone to the point where its Opeth. On top of that, I can't think of an eviler sounding death metal album this year. It saddens me that being an American I will probably not get to see them anytime soon.
18. The Body - I Have Fought Against It, But I Can't Any Longer
Genre: Experimiental/Noise/Avant Garde/Drone/Sludge
Favorite Track: The West Has Failed
The Body isn't for everybody, but they sure are for me. The duo announced they were going back to the two of them playing instruments, but this was beyond what I would've expected. This has many many guest musicians pretty much doing everything in the book. While it still has the classic despair filled sound, it also featured some melody and other parts that makes you question if you're even listening to The Body.
17. The Ocean - Phanerzoic I: Palaeozoic
Genre: Atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal FFO: ISIS (The Band), Cult of Luna, Buried Inside
Favorite Track: Silurian: Age of Sea Scorpions
I can't pronounce this album and thats how you know its a good one. The Ocean has multiple guest musicians on every album and is considered a collective rather than a band. This release was a surprise for me and absolutely made me fit it into the list despite already being finished. This release is very reminiscent of Precambrian, with the theme of prehistoricism, and given the part 1 makes me think a part two will be coming soon. I haven't done enough research to know who is featured on this one but I'm sure it will be jaw dropping when I do.
16. Ariana Grande - Sweetener
Genre: Pop FFO: Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga
Favorite Track: breathin
Ariana Grande is a saint. Once again she proves she is the most powerful woman in the world. Sweetener is a sweet addition to her discography with the same strong operatic vocals that you know and love. In my opinion, Ariana could sing pretty much any style there is if she wanted to. This album's theme can range from empowerment to relationships and it will never get old for me. The fact that most pop artists are really writing about relationships can be a bore, but Ariana brings a variety to the table.
15. KEN Mode - Loved
Genre: Noise Rock/Sludge/Hardcore Punk FFO: Fight Amp, Whores., Kowloon Walled City
Favorite Track: Learning to be Cold
This one was a highly anticipated release for me.Most know I love weird music. While KEN Mode is on the odd side, they take it to a whole new level. Hearing these songs live, and seeing them being played with two basses and no guitar (Surprisingly enough) spiked them high on this list. Loved earns creepiest artwork of the year, which KEN Mode seem to surprise with each time. Every album I listen to by this band, I try to synchronize the sound with the art and this one manifests some weird stuff. Remember when you were a kid and you were afraid of monsters in the closet? Under your bed? The Boogeyman? This one opens a portal in each location for all kinds of entities to enter and terrorize you forever. So much heavy chaos, its almost like Knut reformed....nah
14. Joji - Ballads 1
Genre - Trip Hop
Favorite Track: Slow Dancing in The Dark
When someone told me the guy formally known as Filthy Frank was making real music and touring with Rich Brian, it didn't hit me very hard. When this album came out, I really only heard stuff about from soundcloud kids which made me reject listening to it. I don't remember what drove me to here it (it might've been Dave) but I listened to it for the first time walking around Kendall Square at night and the moment I heard Slow Dancing in the Dark, I was in shock. "How is this Filthy Frank?!" I thought. Upon watching the video later that night I realised that Joji is 100% the same person as Filthy Frank. This album is beautiful despite the artwork and really showed me a style I am really not familiar with. It hasn't even been long for his music career but Joji is already a superstar.
13. Basement - Beside Myself
Genre: Emo/Alternative Rock FFO: Jimmy Eat World, Sunny Day Real Estate, Balance and Composure
Favorite Track: Disconnect
If I'm being honest, the last Basement album sorta fell off for me. I grew up with the more hardcore influenced sound they had, but of course Colourmeinkindness was a fantastic turning point. Beside Myself I feel perfected the newer style that Basement are going for. Very nostalgic 90s sounding with a hint of skate jams. Seriously skate to this one you wont regret it. All over some sweet emo riffage and very well written lyrics guarenteed to satify your inner emo kid.
12. Cult Leader - A Patient Man
Genre: Metalcore/Grindcore FFO: Gaza, Burnt By the Sun, All Pigs Must Die
Favorite Track: Craft of Mourning
Man oh man do I love this one. I have been a fan of Gaza since my freshman year of high school and when have been following Cult Leader since the first Ep. This one is a huge step forward with their sound. Cult Leader have always had slow songs but this one is almost half heavy, half slow, and the slow stuff is almost neo folk influenced. The album immediately tears a whole in your chest and rips out your heart then slowly forces you on your knees filling you with despair. A Patient Man is 110% evil all the way through, its almost like a violent sermon garnished with human sacrifice.
11. Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want
Genre: Noise Rock/Darkwave/Mathcore FFO: Lightning Bolt, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Birthday Party
Favorite Track: Ocean Song
Daughters are back with a bang. I knew from the first single, Satan in The Wait, that this would be a masterpiece. While Daughters are mostly credited for the start of the MySpace mathcore style with the album, Canada Songs, they continued with their newer Hell Songs style, but in the best way possible. This album all the way is anxiety inducing and eerie. Listening to it in the dark will make you see shadows in your room when you're home alone. A heavier darkwave influence with strong use of panic chords and chaotic keyboards are presented in this one. It basically continues from the self titled. The one thing I will always love is Alex's voice. It's like Elvis Presley being tortured and begging for his life.
10. Bongripper - Terminal
Genre: Progressive Stoner/Post-Metal FFO: Weedeater, WeedPecker, Ufomammut
S L O W D E A T H. Thats what the song titles spell out. Most would expect a band with a name like Bongripper to be a cheesey stoner band with 40 minute songs. Well Bongripper are not exactly that. Terminal is entirely instrumental and is basically a stoners version of post metal. So much talent, a very underrated band, and the artwork, I mean come on. Terminal can definitely turn on any sludge and post metal fan and introduce them to a world of stoner metal that isn't so stereotypical.
9. Vein. - Errorzone
Genre: Mathcore/Metalcore/Alt.Metal FFO: The Dillinger Escape Plan, Deftones, Thumbscrew
Favorite Track: Broken Glass Complexion
Everyone will be mad at me for not putting this at number one but fuck you I listen to a lot of music. I think I've written about Vein more than any other band this year. Errorzone was probably the most anticipated album for everyone in heavy music. I don't think I've met many who haven't heard it. For me it feels like a wave of nostalgic Dillinger vibes mixed with Poison the Well. I was almost shocked to hear melody. Vein's popularity skyrocketed after this album is no surprise and you know they will take over the world very soon.
8. American Nightmare - S/T
Genre: Hardcore FFO: Blacklisted, The Suicide File, The Hope Conspiracy
Favorite Track: Flowers Under Siege
We all know American Nightmare are one of my favorite bands ever. I love them so much I have an AN tattoo. Of course their new album makes it high. My problem with modern hardcore is this: Everyone wants to be heavy, everyone wants to be edgy, everyone sounds the same and does it wrong. AN are back with their first album in I believe 15 years and haven't changed a thing. My personal favorite era of hardcore was the early 2000s and its like listening to a time machine. AN keep their emotional lyrics with strait mean riffs and subtle post punk influence because they know, they don't need to change with the times to be great. Never will I witness a less than perfect performance by these guys. Welcome back!
7. Unearth - Extinction(s)
Genre: Metalcore FFO: Killswitch Engage, Dead To Fall, It Dies Today
Favorite Track: One With the Sun
Another long time favorite band of mine. I almost forgot this one was coming. Upon hearing the first single, my first thought was "Stings of Consciousness' aka their first album. My thoughts did not steer me wrong. Extinction(s) shows off their classic sound but with more technicality presented in Darkness in the Light. HOnestly Unearth haven't put out anything I don't like and I don't expect it any time soon. I only miss Treavor's yelling vocals as he switched to more growling.
6. Secret Cutter - Quantum Eraser
Genre: Sludge Metal/Metalcore FFO: Swarm of the Lotus, Knut, Coalesce
Favorite Track: Trampled by Light
Wow. This one took me by surprise. I always thought no one would be making music like this anymore but...wow. Welcome back chaos. Quantum eraser just gets heavier and heavier as you go on and just when you think its over, it comes back even heavier. Lots of mathcore is subtley sprinkled in, very comparable to Swarm of the Lotus and those vocals sound like their tearing apart the vocalist's throat. Outstanding!
5. Them Are Us Too - Amends
Genre: Darkwave/Dream Pop FFO: Death of Lovers, Drab Majesty, Miserable
Favorite Track: Floor
This was probably the first album I heard this year that really made me focused. I can't help but identify many influences of dream pop such as Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil just to name a few. These classic influences mixed with a modern style of darkwave makes Amends. The album is soothing and calm, able to tame the most feral of beasts, and ease depression just as well.
4. Svalbard - It's Hard To Have Hope
Genre: Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze/Hardcore FFO: Deafheaven, Bosse de Nage, Modern Life is War
Favorite Track: How Do We Stop It?
I mention all the time that TheLookout finds the best music, well Svalbard is one of them. As of recent the style of "blackgaze" is blowing up. Svalbard take the genre and combine it with an early 2000s style of hardcore and give it a strong political theme. Pete Dugdale is gonna flip when he sees the song titles. Despite the Hot Topic era song title, the band passes very serious messages. You wanna talk about boundary breaking? Svalbard is your new favorite.
3. Sectioned - Annihilated
Genre: Mathcore FFO: Frontierer, The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza, Converge
Favorite Track:Annihilated
Another UK release. Sectioned debuts with Annihilated and leaves a crater. With metalcore releases, I'd say this is the heaviest. The band shares members with fellow UK mathcore giants, Frontierer and the one similarity I would say is the use of electronics and effects. Scetioned have a stronger hardcore (sometimes grindcore) influence rather than the odd timed Car Bomb style. All I can think of is cops getting called for those violent breakdowns. Imagine a massive computer glitch happening that is pissing you off so much, you grab your computer and throw it into oncoming traffic. Many were struck by Vein's new release this year, I highly recommend Sectioned for them.
2. Anaal Nathrakh - A New Kind Of Horror
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal/Grindcore FFO: Fukpig, Behemoth, Napalm Death
Favorite Track: Forward!
I am a big fan of Anaal Nathrakh and knew I would dig this, but I didn't think I would love it this much. Members of Anaal Nathrakh have been involved with the Orange County metalcore scene, for some reason, and the influence shows in this record. I can point out multiple tracks that are very similar to Bleeding Through with both metalcore style riffs and symphony, but Anaal Nathrakh stay consistant with their number one style which is blackened grindcore. Also the production is unlike anything I would expect from black metal. I'm sure metal elitists were pissed to hear the machine gun samples and breakdown riffs but I applaud the band for not being afraid to be open minded.
1. Denzel Curry - TABOO|TA13OO
Genre: Hip Hop/Rap FFO: Danny Brown, A$AP Ferg, Lil Ugly Mane
Favorite Track: Black Metal Terrorist|13MT
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I didn't think I would ever put a rap album at number one but Denzel absolutely earned it. I don't think I listened to any album more this year. I can't think of any other rap album that is as dark and well written as Taboo. The album works in 3 parts strating with white, to gray, to black. This is another way of saying it gets darker. It starts off like most rap albums would, then get more emotional and aggressive, then gets in your face with emotional anger. One thing I notice is the pop culture references such as the song SUPER SAIYAN SUPERMAN|ZUPER ZA1YAN ZUPERMAN (Dragonball Z) or the lyric, "Radda radda radda radda" (Schnitzel from Chowder) etc. Not to mention guest spots from J.I.D., Zillakami of City Morgue, and JPEGMAFIA. All together it makes a flawless album that I think I would honestly put as one of my all time favorite albums. Which if you know me, that really says a lot.
