5. Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia
Note: It's worth sticking on until the chorus in the song.
Fleshgod Apocalypse are kinda good. Brutal, slightly techy good old death metal with classical influences? Pretty good. It's kinda droning though, brutality abuse for no reason. The songs are too long.
4. Elitist - Caves
I'm not sure how I feel about this band. They look like extreme douchemasters, and everything they say on their Myspace page/everywhere else is super pretentious (I guess they're aptly named), and everyone thinks they're super technical because they call themselves that, so I hate their fans too, but damn their music is catchy at times, and sometimes it's also kind of... not techy but mathy. Listen to the entire song and see what I mean. They've even influenced me a little bit with some of their cool little nuances. Ok, this EP is totally here because of the awesome intro song, but the title track and a few others are also good too. And they have the best tone ever. Seriously, they sound really, really good. Here's the aforementioned intro for those interested:
3. First Fragment - The Afterthought Ecstasy
I've talked about this one before too. Tech Death done right. Check it out.
2. Slice the Cake - Cleansed
Since I've posted a song off this EP in a previous post, I'll post another one. Prog Deathcore at its finest. Internet band, better than many real bands, etc etc. You get the idea.
1. Apostate - Seaborne
Yeah, this isn't super exciting or innovative, but it's damn good. Prog metalcore mixed with an eastern sound, sweet leads, and Unearth-like vocals, with tasty breakdowns. What more do you want?
10. After the Burial - Rareform
Fuck the re-release. The vocals, mastering, drum and bass were prefect in the original. This album is also a once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece. Yes, Forging a Future Self was great too, but this album has much better tone and one mor string per guitar :D Also, this album has Ometh. Ometh is fucking incredible. This album is technical, melodic and hardcore. A really good blend of those elements. But there are better albums that do that. Read on.
9. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality
I included the live video because the official video has a cut version of the song, and I don't want that. This album is very technical, dark and ambient. It's one of those albums that got me into real metal. It also has amazing lyrics, like most albums on this list. It's pretty much perfect except for the tone, which was corrected in the remastered version, unlike Rareform!
8. Trivium - Shogun
After The Crusade, I was confident that Trivium had changed, no more growls and no more sweet riffs a la Ascendancy, but when I heard the teaser for Kirisute Gomen, I felt extremely elated. My favorite band of all time had done it again. They made another masterpiece. It wasn't life-changing like Ascendancy, but it was a damn good album. It was progressive Trivium. What more can one want?
7. Behemoth - Demigod
This album blew me the fuck away when I first listened to it. It simultaneously got me into black and death metal. Everyone hates the layered vocals on this album, but I think they sound incredibly badass. Everything about this album is so brutal and dark, and it still blows me away when I listen to it. It also made Behemoth one of my favorite bands. So much skill, brutality and ambience in one album. Random fact: The first entire listen I gave to this album, just like albums 6 and 4, was on a road trip. Interesting, isn't it?
6. Wintersun - Wintersun
Progressive Folk Power Black Metal. With Symphonic Speed Death influences. I cried when I first listened to this album, it was that perfect. It was made almost entirely by one man, Jari Maenpaa, and is a masterpiece of melodic metal. I really have nothing to say about this album, just liste to it and read the lyrics and take in the sound.
5. Winds of Plague - The Great Stone War
The only symphonic prog deathcore album ever. It's really unique, it's a concept album and each song tells a story. The songs are so brilliantly executed, and it's unbelievable how WoP executes masterful changes every riff, from brutal fucking E standard riffs (!) to mosh-as-fuck breakdowns to simple riffs backed by incredibly ambient keyboards. This is an incredible gem.
4. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
This is one of those albums that left me speechless on the first listen. So much skill, taste, and unlike many bands, ambience. Every person plays their instrument incredibly skillfully, and Nevermore's (at that time) second guitarist Steve Smyth, who was a recent addition to the band, really takes the album over the top, he might be no match for Jeff Loomis in sheer skill, but he sometimes overcomes him with diversity and composition. This album is perfect from start to finish.
3. The Faceless - Planetary Duality
This is the third album that changed my music life, and I argue that it's the best Tech Death album ever. It's tasteful, technical and amazingly ambient. It's also another concept album. It's unbelievable how The Faceless went from above average prog deathcore to top of the line tech death. This album expanded my musical horizons and destroyed them. There's nothing bad about this album. It's truly amazing.
2. Born of Osiris - The New Reign
This album can't be summed up by one song. But I tried anyway. These guys were the second change in my music life, and this is what defines the music I'm listening to now. This album is one of a kind, nothing ever comes close to it, not even the other album by this band.
1. Trivium - Ascendancy
This is it. This is the album that changed my life. Not only my music life, but my actual life too. This album made me what I am. From the perfect lyrics, the perfect guitars, and the best execution of metalcore ever period, this is the album that defined me, and my friendship with one of my best friends. The influence of this album in my life is so far-reaching that it's unbelievable. I could talk endlessly about this album, how I discovered it, how I went out of my way to obtain it, how even the physical copy of the album affected my life. But there's no point in all that, the songs speak for themselves. This album is my life. Just hear the lyrics.
Also, yes, I like Prog Deathcore. It's my favorite genre. Deal with it.
10. After the Burial - Bread Crumbs and White Stones
Damn you, AtB. You guys don't deserve to be on any list, except for worst albums of 2010 or something. After the first two awesome albums, the piece of shit called In Dreams comes out of your ass. I'm very, very disappointed. But this song is good, I'll give you guys that.
9. Trivium - Shattering the Skies Above
Well, this is trying to be Shogun and Ascendancy at the same time, and while it isn't as good as either of them, it's still pretty good. It's kind of like Trivium gone Prog Deathcore :D Also, Travis's drumming had gotten pretty stale after Ascendancy, and it's cool how they replaced him with a grindcore drummer to freshen the sound. I hope this is the worst song off their next album though.
8. Slice the Cake - Intro + Squander
This is a Prog Deathcore group formed over the internet. Better than most real life bands. I find these guys to be on par with BoO and VoM, tbh.
7. First Fragment - Obsolete Ascendancy
The volume in the video is kind of low... sorry but it's the only video of this song on youtube. Also the piano intro rocks.
This new Tech Death band from Canada does Tech Death right,, unlike many other self proclaimed Tech Death bands who suck ass by trying to be too technical or too deathly. These guys are up there with The Faceless, Gorod and Necrophagist, and I believe those three bands to be the kings of Tech Death, so yeah.
6. System Divide - Vagaries of Perception
I have no idea why they didn't make this song their single. It's much better than that shitty Apex Doctrine song. Btw, this video has the cover of their EP in the image, but it's off their album. Whatever.
5. Quo Vadis - Obitus
Well, this is a change of style for Quo Vadis, but I really like it! It's frantic, it's badass, it's awesome. Also my friend Roxanne has done an awesome job on the bass parts on this album, I can safely call her one of the best bass players I know (of. I know like 3 bass players irl, and obv she's the best. I meant bass players in the world :D).
4. Leander - Bad Romance (Lady Gaga cover)
Yes, the original song is awesome, but this cover makes it even better, and the Hungarian Dance at the ending just makes this over the top sky high. Leander's songs are awesome.
3. Within the Ruins - Red Flagged
At first I was slightly skeptical when I heard WtR were making a new album right after Creature last year, and since Creature was slightly meh at times, I wasn't expecting much. But when I heard this preview song I was completely blown away.
Btw, just cuz, here's the best song off of Creature:
2. Veil of Maya - Unbreakable
Veil of Maya doesn't disappoint. This song is intense, melodic, hardcore, progressive. Imagine seeing it live. I did. It was indeed all of those things, especially intense.
1. The Human Abstract - Faust
So, so good. This song has everything. It's just pure amazing.
0. Born of Osiris - Wheaton/Visualize Perfection
I have the mp3 for this song, but it gets deleted whenever it's posted on Youtube, so here's a live vid: (and here's the mp3 for y'all)
I am speechless. This is a song off the upcoming 2011 album from Born of Osiris, who are one of my favorite bands of all time, if not the favorite band of all time. With this new song they've preserved their sound from The New Reign and A Higher Place, and taken it even further. This song is so, so, so good. Born of Osiris rule. Period. These are the guys that got me into Prog Deathcore, and I don't regret it. They're amazing, and they're really good live too. Btw, this is #0 cuz it's not officially released yet, but it's better than anything on this list. So yeah.
10. Owl City - Fireflies
9. Animals as Leaders - CAFO
There's an official video for this but it's not embed-enabled so here's the song:
video link
8. Krimh - The Deep
This guy's the drummer for decapitated now!
The song is really atmospheric and cool imo.
7. Augury - Beatus
6. Stam1na - Kadonneet Kolme Sanaa
5. The Agonist - Thank You, Pain
4. Dimmu Borgir - Blessings Upon the Throne of Tyranny
3. Within the Ruins - Tractor Pull
Bonus lulz:
2. Disillusion - ...And the Mirror Cracked
Wow... this song is amazing. The intro is perfect and ultra groovy, the vocals are amazing and full of emotion, the riffs are all really good, the song progresses perfectly and builds up so nicely. This aaalmost made number one.
1. Maximum the Hormone - 爪爪爪 [tsumetsumetsume]
Hell yes.
Now it's time for video games. There's going to be one problem with this list: There are many games that I didn't have the opportunity to play properly yet. But we'll see how it goes.
10. Sniper: Ghost Warrior
Yeah, many people didn't like this game. It was kind of linear and generic. But I liked it for a few reasons. It had proper stealth gameplay, it kept spicing up the gameplay by inserting commando missions between sniper missions, and it even had plot twists. It really wasn't that bad, and the graphics were cool too. Had I had the chance to play more games this year, this game might not have made it to this spot, but the single player campaign felt more fun than Battlefied: Bad Company 2 or Call of Duty: Black Ops, so this deserves its spot. Both of those games have much better multiplayer than this one, but I really didn't have time to play games online this year, so the single player experience defines the game this year. Plus, it had great looking trees and plants, and the green and lively environments enhanced the stealth gameplay, and it also kind of gave you freedom to approach situations differently at times. Speaking of games with a lot of greenness...
9. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
I have a love/hate relationship with this game. The beginning was amazing, the setting had immense amounts of promise and the gameplay looked interesting, and so did the plot. But then the setting went to the blandest places imaginable, the gameplay got repetitive, and the plot became predictable. Well, except for the ending. The ending was amazing, so I still have positive feelings about it. But I fucking hate the Unreal Engine. Almost all gameplay complaints I have about this game can be attributed to the fucking Unreal Engine, which feels slow, looks weird and plays awkwardly. But it had a few cool moments, and had me hooked till the end, even though I wanted to burn the game disk at times. Proof that a good setting can be really interesting. Speaking of games with a good setting...
8. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Fuck you, God of War. I hate that series. Yes, GoW3 had great graphics and the mythology is kind of cool, but it's such a bro game series with such lame gameplay. Castlevania, on the other hand, has class. There are many reasons for this. First of all, It's overseen by Hideo Kojima, and we all know how his games are. Second, its setting is mysterious, looming, epic and original. It feels like a dark medieval Europe, Guillermo del Toro style. Third, the character has actual; depth and motivations. Fourth, You don't feel like an overpowered lameass god mowing through millions of meaningless enemies, you actually feel like some guy trying really hard to survive, usually to an inch of his life, out of desperation. Finally, it's fucking Castlevania. This series can do no wrong. This is a good game, it's the thinking man's God of War, and a worthy entry of the series. The ambience alone makes this game better than most. Speaking of ambience...
7. Bioshock 2
I'll say something that would probably anger many people. Bioshock 1 fucking sucked. It was awful, pretentious, boring and overhyped. This sequel, developed by a slightly different studio, is much, much better. The ambience in the first game was supposed to be awesome, but it just felt heavy-handed and forced. It tried too hard to be System Shock and it failed. This game just tries to be fun, and it's a nice benefit that it also has System Shock elements. The stupid restrictions of the first game are removed, and the not-subtle-at-all Ayn Rand references are gone, thankfully. This game is pure crazyness and fun, because you get to choose your own method during battle. By the way, the multiplayer is totally shitty and completely unnecessary. Also, the game feels a little weird again due to the stupid Unreal Engine. But choosing from a big set of tools and trapping/ destroying enemies feels really fun, and the interesting level design prevents you from realizing the entirety of the game takes place in poorly lit corridors, you feel free to dispose of your foes in any way you want. Speaking of freedom...
6. Minecraft
This game is black magic. It's made by one man (who is an officially certified genius, btw), and is better lived than explained. I'll try anyway. There's no plot, nothing to drive you, other than the will to survive. There's an endless landscape for you to harvest, make tools from, and build in. Tools break with time and you run out of materials, so you're forced to explore. By mining deeper, you can gain access to more valuable minerals, but you need light, because in darkness monster come after you. Of, they come after you during the night too, so you need to build shelter. You can later build weapons and fight them back. You can even build a portal to hell and fight evil spirits there, if you want access to some really exotic materials. What people have built with Minecraft is beyond all imagination, some people build 16-bit computers, some build life-size models of the USS Enterprise, some people build machines to kill monsters. The fact that it's made by one guy in Java is completely mind-boggling. This game has five key aspects that keep you going: Freedom, survival, creativity, depth and ambience. This game actually is quite scary, but speaking of scariness...
5. Amnesia - The Dark Descent
This game is so fucking scary. Seriously. I've never been more scared by a game. That alone makes this game unique. Actually, this game would have been higher in my list just because of that but it's so unbelievably scary that I can't even fucking play it. It's that good. It has darkness, hiding, no combat, physics, exploration, and great atmosphere. It's made by a small studio, but it's much better than many games that have a much bigger budget. It's like the worst horror movie come true, it's really, really, really, really scary. Don't believe me? Try it. I dare you. Not a person to be scared by horror movies? We'll see. Speaking of games that are like movies...
4. Splinter Cell: Conviction
Yep, this game isn't a Splinter Cell game. The awesome stealth gameplay is pretty much nonexistent, it's swapped for some generic shootage and brawlage. But the shootage is really, really good. This is probably the best third person shooter I've played since Max Payne or something. Also, the graphics are pretty cool and the plot is engaging, 24-style. Everything about this game is super smooth, but then again it's Ubisoft so that's to be expected. Also, I played it on the PC so the controls were awesome too. If only they made some good console shooters for the PC too... I actually hoe that they continue with this line of gameplay for Sam Fisher's story, but make a new game about some other super spy and make that one a real spy game. Speaking of real spy games...
3. Alpha Protocol
Yes, this game was supremely flawed. It was rushed and buggy, and the controls weren't ported well to the PC. It's Obsidian, deal with it. Obsidian always make great games with great flaws. This game is a spy RPG, which is as awesome as it sounds. There's a conversation system that lets you be one of the three kind of JB's: Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer and James Bond. Your conversation choices affect your relationships with the characters and thus your missions, and you can do the missions in whatever order you want. You can be any kind of spy too, you can go oldschool Sam Fisher and play hide and seek with the enemies, you can be a newschool Sam Fisher and just all out murder anyone with close combat, you can be Arnold Schwarzenegger and just shoot the fuck out of everyone. It's really, really good. You might notice a theme in my lists where I like games that give you choices, well this game gives you a boat load of them, and they're not stupid binary choices a la Bioware. Shame this won't have a sequel, since it sold awfully thanks to narrow-minded reviewers who are probably bribed by Bioware. This game is infinitely better than Mass Effect 2. Speaking of games with good conversation and choices affecting the world...
2. Heavy Rain
No, I'm not using the stupid American cover art for this game. Anyway, this game is a great experiment, a great movie, and a great game. It's made by the developer of Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, which was one of the games that I always remember fondly and I think that game was also amazing. Anyway, This game is a neo-adventure game, without the cumbersome puzzles and inventory management. It's like an interactive novel, but you feel like you're in control at all times, unlike those Japanese games. The graphics of this game are probably the best graphics right now, and so is the plot (well, except for my game of the year). Without spoiling too much, it's even similar to one of my favorite movie series, which is always a good thing. The pacing is amazing, the execution is amazing, and the characters are really interesting. What's really amazing about this game is that the controls set the atmosphere for you. If your character is nervous, you'll have to slam the buttons multiple times to provoke him to do the right thing. Thanks to the controls, this game also holds one of the most memorable gaming moments I've ever had: (mild spoiler) At one point in the game, you're supposed to pass through a bunch of open electrical wires. It's a really tight fit, and your character really strains him/herself to make it through. The last batch of wires was a really weird position for the character, he/she had to hold this weird stance while moving. Funny thing is, the buttons I was supposed to hold were pretty much impossible to press with two hands, so I had to use my nose and knees to pass through. Soon, I realized that I was in the position of the character, the game had made me implicitly become the character, without any Kinect bullshit. Brilliant. Speaking of brilliant games with awesome plot...
1. Assassin's Creed 2/Brotherhood
Yes, AC2 didn't come out this year, right? No! It came out on PC this year! So it can still be here. These games are the greatest games ever. Ever. Their plot is amazing, something for both the scifi nerd, templar conspiracy nerd, and medieval low fantasy nerd. Guess what I am?
The gameplay is superb, combining a robust climbing engine and a fun combat engine, the graphics are good (even though they're not top of the line, they're still good), and the free roam aspect is what puts these games over the top. The first AC had most of these too, but the missions were extremely repetitive. Thankfully they solved that in this game, and they even diversified the gameplay in 2 (and diversified it even further in Bro).
The story of Ezio is told very well and the plot is executed with great pacing in 2. Bro's plot isn't that amazing, but the gameplay is so much better that it makes up for it. There's even multiplayer in Bro! And they improved every gameplay aspect even further. You can go anywhere, recruit assassins, you have optional mission objectives that make the game so much more fun and harder, you can improve the city, send assassins on missions, travel Rome, kill Borgia captains (each of them are their own mini-challenge) and the platforming sections in some missions (like the Leonardo ones) even surpass my favorite platformer series, the Prince of Persia series (also developed by Ubisoft).
I can't stop praising these games, because they are my favorite games of all time and they're simply amazing (I used that word a lot, didn't I? Well they deserve it). I hope this series keeps getting better. The plot has me really hooked, and I'm even following side media like the official comic books, which I never do. It's that good. Please, Ubisoft, don't fuck this series up.
10. Tides of Man - Dreamhouse
Ok, this isn't exactly too metal, but it's good, so who cares! The vocalist has a really unique voice, and the instruments are also very impressive. It's proggy and chill, without being excessive.
9. System Divide - The Conscious Sedation
Like The Agonist, but harder and less melodic. Actually, I'd call it a mix of Divine Heresy and Agonist. Although the album does get boring at times, it's quite heavy, catchy and cool in general. Bonus points since I've been a slight fan of Distorted and the female vocalist in this group used to sing for that band.
8. Destrage - The King Is Fat'n Old
One video can't really sum up this band. If you're interested in finding out more about this band, I recommend that you check out another song:
This band is a mixture of many genres, they sound like everything from Sikth to Linkin Park to Mudvayne. I'd rate these guys higher, but the albums drags out a lot in its second half. Really cool band nonetheless.
7. Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy
No, I'm not posting that stupid Emptiness Unobstructed video, because, well, the song is aptly named. I had high hopes for this album, after This Godless Endeavor. That album is one of my all-time favorites. But unfortunately they couldn't surpass that album. Ok, that's to be expected, but they could have at least surpassed their previous album, Enemies of Reality? No? Oh, they've decided to regress three albums and make Dead Heart In a Dead World V2. I have to give it to them, this album does have a few cool songs, but after the last two albums they put out, one would expect something more... complicated. This is album is a bunch of really simple songs, and that sometimes works (the song I posted), and it sometimes doesn't (the song that I didn't post). Nice try, guys. Try harder.
6. Behemoth - Evangelia Heretika
Yes, I try my best to put Behemoth on my list every single year, even when they don't release any new material. They rule that much. What's extremely unfortunate is that Nergal, the frontman and brain of the group has been diagnosed with Leukemia in its late stages, so he'll probably not survive too long, even though he found a donor. That really, really sucks. What sucks more is religious fanatics saying he deserved it (really!). By the way, there's no footage of the DVD on youtube that I could find, so I uploaded another concert video. I hope Nergal lives so I can keep putting them in my lists every year :(
5. Keep of Kalessin - Reptilian
I didn't think I'd ever hear progressive power black metal. Oh wait, Wintersun's self titled album is one of my all time favorites. Hm, I meant I didn't think I'd hear it from anyone else but Wintersun. But Keep of Kalessin, a band I discovered this year, have proven me wrong. And their new album is awesome. While their previous albums are kind of drone-worthy, this one is really cool. It's got all kinds of riffs, with cool power chants and cleans and black metal stylings all over. This is True European Metal. The only thing holding it down is, again, a few weak songs in the later parts of the album. But I really like this album. I've also seen these guys live, and they were pretty cool in general. Their bass player didn't have a pen to sign my CD booklet, so he scraped his signature into it. Brutal.
4. Wretched - Beyond the Gate
Like another band in this list, Wretched put out a pretty cool album in 2009 (check last year's list), but it felt like they had some room to grow a bit more. Thankfully, they did grow indeed and put out a great album this year. It's kind of repetitive at points, but it's really awesome in general. It's both oldschool and newschool, and it's just good old death metal, with a few tinges of melodicness and a little bit of tech. Their playing is impeccable, and their composition is through the roof. I believe this album is a must listen.
Note that the next three albums are pretty much tied with each other.
3. The Contortionist - Exoplanet
Wow. This album came out of nowhere. I guess I'd have to call it 'Progressive Deathcore/Djent', but that label is wildly inadequate. This album has everything, it has slow clean interludes to pull you in its atmosphere, it has the brutal breakdowns, techy riffs, epic clean choruses, everything. It's a bit hard to listen at first, because of their atonal tuning and intense tone, but oh it's so good. There's not much to say about this album, other than calling it amazing.
2. Veil of Maya - [id]
Initially, I was disappointed with this album, but listening to it more made me realize how great this album was. It also almost made album of the year for me. The only thing holding it back is its short length and lack of songs. It's really, really good, and the songs are also a blast in a live environment (most intense live band ever). The album is really mature compared to their previous album, There is less meaningless wank and breakdowns and more flow in songs. I just wish it was longer, and the ratio of one-minute-breakdown-song to actual song was better. Still, this album is pretty much tied for first place, and is in 2 simply due to being less value for the money. But don't let that stop you, the breakdowns are crazy, the guitar playing is amazing, the drums are intense, and the vocals are really good. There are huge melodies, complex time signatures and more of everything. It's a great blend of prog deathcore, tech metal and melodeath. Don't miss this one.
1. Within the Ruins - Invade
These guys make the perfect blend of prog deathcore, with melodic riffs and badass vocals and sweet, techy riffs. They also have great breakdowns, if you care about that sort of thing, bro. I also like the lyrics on this album, they're simple but aggressive. All the songs on this album are amazing, and the only little complaint I have is that they sound a little similar at times, since they are all in the same scale and such. It's still great, and considering (like their label mates Wretched), these guys also put out a great album last year, I think these guys deserve it. I listened to this album so much that I got sick of it, I got unsick of it, then I got sick of it again three times. It's also my choice of album for lonely car rides. Awesome album.
Here goes:
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8 - Stigmatized - Whispers of the Dead
These guys are a really underrated death metal band, they don't rely on BR00TALITY like regular bands to, they have their own style. Not too great, but noteworthy.
7 - Destinity - XI Reasons to See
I've always kind of liked Destinity, with their rather alright kind of melodic death metal. This album is exactly that, more rather alright melodic death metal.
6 - Slice the Cake - Cleansed
Yes, the name is silly, because their purpose is to mock classic deathcore band names that go like 'Verb the Noun'. This is an EP, so it's only 4 tracks and a bonus track, and that's the only reason it's not higher up in the list. These songs basically outline all that is good about deathcore and leave out all that is shitty about it. Also, the bonus track is really funny, with raging nonsense over blast beats and disco tunes with autotuned 'FUUUUUUCK' all over the place.
5 - Stam1na - Viimeinen Atlantis
I discovered this fairly well establish finnish metal act only recently, and oh my god they are amazing. They're really original and funny, and their songs are all over the place, there's nothing that they don't do. And they do it well. This isn't their best album, but it's still quite good.
4 - Periphery - Periphery
Well, Periphery has a special place in my and many other music listeners' ears. Their guitarist, Bulb (misha mansoor) basically took Meshuggah and made it more listenable, and added his own flair to it, and he created an entirely new genre, SPAWNING many followers. After 6 years they finally get to make their own album, which is amazing. The guitars are really well thought and the clean vocals are really impressive. The lyrics are also interesting and Periphery has a really unique style. Well, in the past 6 years everyone and their mother copied them, but these are the original dudes who did it and they still do it the best (along with Animals as Leaders). This album is a must listen for any music fan.
3 - Psycroptic - Initiation
Alright, I admit, I'm cheating one of my favorite bands into this list with a live album, but they're that good. Sure they have lame riffs too, but the great vocals, drumming and guitars in general make up for them. Especially on the album 'The Scepter of the Ancients' which is their best, imo. Oh and speaking of the vocals, they really suck on this live album. The guy sounds like he's choking on something (I wanna keep it PG here). The instruments are great though, and it's nice to hear the old songs with the quality of today. Also, they are flawless live.
2 - Veil of Maya - [id]
Yeaaah, this one was coming. I really liked their previous album, The Common Man's Collapse. I was looking forward to this one. It's not as good as I expected, but it's still really good and catchy. Unfortunately it's quite short. It's like they were making a great album and took out 2 really good songs from it. It feels a little unsatisfying and short, but what's in there makes up for it. Dark Passenger, Unbreakable, Namaste, Mowgli are highlights for me.
1 - Levi/Werstler - Avalanche of Worms
Yeah, out of nowhere right? I agree. This album just came out today, I listened to a sampler and INSTANTLY bought it. Best album of the year so far. It's entirely instrumental, so I'm really surprised to declare it #1. But it's sooooooo good. It's incredibly diverse, it has no metal poser shenanigans, it's just pure melody and bliss. It's so progressive and well thought and there's everything in it. And also, Cynic's drummer plays on this one and I was able to tell instantly. Eyal Levi and Emil Werstler, the aforementioned Levi/Werstler are guitarists of rather mediocrish band Daath, but their solo work together (duo work?) is nothing short of amazing. Seriously, anyone who likes good music should listen to this. It takes you all over the place.
Also, the following albums are stuff that I shall be looking forward to in the second half of the year:
Soulfly - Omen: Need I explain?
Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy: Yeah, it doesn't sound as good as Godless, but still. Nevermore!
Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra: FINALLY! After years of silence and a bad album, a true return to (chocolate starfish and hot dog flavored water) form! The sampler of the new song Shark Attack sounds exactly like what I need. I'm so pumped for this.
As I lay Dying - The Powerless Rise: Yeah, AILD sucks, but then again Austrian Death Machine rules, and I heard a little bit of ADM influence in the new AILD song, and it's not shitty metalcore anymore (it's shitty deathcore cuz that's the new trend and AILD always follow the trend!) so I will very very tentatively check this out. Maybe it won't be horrible.
Brain Drill - Quantum Catastrophe: Yeah, this band's name is really appropriate for their music. But their new song sounded like it actually had melody, and the melody was good. I'll try it out.
Keep of Kalessin - Reptilian: These guys are pretty good at black metal. Unfortunate that they didn't get into Eurovision, but that's funny anyway. I'm not super intrigued by their old stuff but I hear good things about this one.
I stand before you as a sinner.
A mother fucking heathen dragged face first down the road of treason.
Bound for the bowels of hell I'm always one step out of reach from the hand of God.
You would never sleep if you knew whats in my mind.
My vile thoughts you would never close your eyes.
I walk in the shadow of heavens light.
Hood up, head down.
Take a closer look into my eyes there is a part of me I can't hide.
Bring the pain.
Turn and run while you still have a chance.
I feel from grace and I'm not going back.
You come to me with the image of a better life.
I'm fucking fine with the life I have.
I would rather burn then spend another second by your side.
In the valley of death I cast a shadow to block out the sun.
I am a monster accepting what I have become.
My faith was drowned in a sea of doubts.
Now the thorn littered road is my only way out so I push on.
Iron willed.
Demonized.
Tongue forged in fire.
Hate in my eyes.
Celestial supremacy replaced with gloom.
Inhale aggression and exhale doom.
From the gutters we rise.
Into darkness descend.
Never meant for the light.
Through your bonds we transcend.
There is no time for sleep, just to reclaim the streets.
How can you look down on me?
When I've buried you under my feet.
So I push on, demonized.
Tongue full of fire.
Hate in my eyes!
- Music:Winds of Plague - Forged In Fire
This time, I'll cut. There are lots of images. By the way, some of these games came out for consoles in 2008, but hey, I care about the PC release dates. Also, please wait for the images to load, because I looked hard for them.
( stuff )
I will separate my list into a few posts, and this is the first one. Music. 2009 was a pretty bad year for my music, lots of disappointments and mediocre albums in general, but I discovered so many new bands, and one old band gave me such a great surprise that it's all fine in the end. Read on.
Music:
10. Behemoth: Evangelion
Well, there were some cool songs on this one, and it IS Behemoth, but they kind of pushed some elements too far and their songs got a little uninteresting compared to The Apostasy (2007) and Demigod (2005). It is much heavier, but much less memorable. Still alright.
Highlight: Shemhamforash
9. Within the Ruins - Creature
This is a really fun album; because there are really techy riffs and interesting parts overall. The songwriting is a little inconsistent though, and the tones aren't too great. Still, cool album.
Highlight: Arsenal
8. Conducting From the Grave - When Legends Become Dust
Some songs are pretty awesome and melodic on this one, and the vocals are really great. Some parts really sound like Trivium, which is always good. The only bad thing is, they aren't really too original. And sometimes the songs go on too long for their own good. Still cool album.
Highlight: Marching Towards Extinction
7. Gorod - Process of a New Decline
SUPER techy album, reminds me of The Faceless. Only problem is, their production isn't as good, their songs are kind of annoying at parts, and they are generally a little forced. They don't feel naturally amazing like The Faceless. By the way, Planetary Duality is retroactively my album of the year for 2008.
Highlight: Disavow Your God
6. Wretched - Exodus of Autonomy
This album is weird. It's got amazing melodies, but the production and vocals are terrible. The drums are barely audible. But the melodies are too good. It reminds me of Through the Eyes of the Dead, but less boring. And the new song on the myspace of TTEOTD sounds like Whitechapel, so Wretched are the TTEOTD of the year :D
Highlight: Mephisto's Will, Aborning
5. Lamb of God - Wrath
Oh well. This is one of the albums you had to see coming. Yes, it is the worst LOG album of all time, but it's still LOG. It's super catchy and groovy. And I actually like most songs on it. And from this album, all the albums I'm gonna list are albums that I like a lot, it's just gonna be ordered depending on how much I like them. Including this one, btw. Also, Contractor is one of my favorite songs of all time.
Highlight: Pretty much every song.
4. Born of Osiris - A Higher Place
Oh, BOO, how could you do this to me. The New Reign (2007) was in my top albums of all time, but this album is just so meh compared to it. Lots of forgettable songs with boring riffs, and terrible production. I forgive you this time though, because you guys were amazing live, and Now Arise on this album is one of my favorite songs of all time. It has amazing lyrics. Other than that, Starved, Exist, Elimination and The Accountable are pretty good too.
Highlight: Now Arise, Starved
Here are the lyrics for Now Arise, probably one of my favorite lyrics of all time.
3. Austrian Death machine - Double Brutal
Well yeah. I love these guys so this was kind of obvious too. This album was also pretty disappointing compared to Total Brutal, but it still had cool songs and was funny. I rate this one higher than Higher Place because it has more songs, is more consistent and better produced. Also, I have a signed copy of this one and an exclusive t-shirt with Arnold's face on it, what's not to like?
Highlight: Let off Some Steam Bennett, See You at the Party Richter, It's Simple If it Jiggles it's Fat
It's been a pretty disappointing year up until now, but here come the heavy hitters:
2. Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest
Wow, this album is so amazing. So Egyptian, so deadly and so badass. Probably one of Nile's best albums, and if it were not for Annihiliation of the Wicked (2005), it probably would be THE best. This album is more consistent than the aforementioned one though. Permitting... is just so brutal, so is Kafir! This album is a blast and really good. If you like death metal, don't miss this one. This probably would have been my album of the year considering normal circumstances, but something really miraculous happened...
Highlight: Kafir, Permitting the Noble Dead to Descend to the Underworld, Iskander Dhul Karnon
1. Winds of Plague - The Great Stone War
Winds of Plague. With their album Decimate the Weak (2008) last year, they seemed like a mediocre brocore band with some cool ideas and a keyboard. I still liked them enough to get their CD and listen to them quite a lot. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard they were coming out with a new album just one year after their first. Then I listened to the new song "Soldiers of Doomsday" on their myspace, and it blew me so far away. It was the perfect song, what I had been trying to compose for years. Every element was perfect, the keyboard, the vocals, the breakdowns, the progression. Then I started to think that it was going to be the best song of the album, and the rest was going to be shitty just like their other album. Then, Forged in Fire was released on their Myspace, and it was even better in some aspects. I was getting more and more hyped. There was an alleged leak of the album, and I was getting so impatient for the album that I immediately downloaded the leak, but it turned out to be a fake made by their guitarist, the first three songs (the first being an intro and the other two the ones I mentioned) were alright, but every other songs turned into a rickroll a few seconds in. The amazing thing about the leak though, was the fact that before the songs turned into a rickroll, you could actually hear a few seconds off the songs, and OH MY GOD THEY WERE SO AMAZING.
A few weeks later, it finally leaked. And my mind was blown. This album changed the way I view music again. It really got to me. Only two other albums have affected me so profoundly, Ascendancy and The New Reign. This album is just so amazing. All the melodies, the progressions, the fantastic keyboards and the little details in the riffs. It's just an amazing album. It makes up for all the mediocre disappointments of the year (Marionette's Enemies really sucked). You just have to listen to it. It's got everything. It's a concept album, which makes it win by default anyway. Forged in Fire is a badass FUCK YOU song, Soldiers of Doomsday is just a classic songs that does everything right, Approach the Podium is an amazingly progressive song, it starts a little shitty but it goes to such amazing places. The rest is for yours to discover.
Highlight: Forged in Fire, Soldiers of Doomsday, Approach the Podium, everything really. Even Our Requiem, which is kinda lame but still cool.
Albums that came out this year and are kinda awesome but aren't on this list:
Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
This one was a little slow for my tastes, but it was still pretty good.
Between The Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect
Obfuscation is an amazing song. It's just too long.
That's all that comes to my mind right now.
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