So this has been a very interesting year as far as music goes. It didn't seem like a lot of bands put out new albums, but looking back at how long 2013 has been, I'm surprised to see how many are up to snuff.
In case you aren't aware of my own personal preferences, I am into the hard rock/metal side of things, so don't be surprised to find Eminem's new EP or Daft Punk's album missing. It's not really my thing. I'm not personally into that kind of music, so I can't, in my heart of hearts, put it on here, despite how catchy "Get Lucky" is or how lyrically and vocally talented Eminem proves himself on "Rap God."
Last year, Sylosis' "Monolith" was destined to be my number 1 album until the Deftones snuck in at the very end of the year with "Koi No Yokan," an album which (honestly) has stood the test of time. Who will reign supreme this year?
So, here it is, the moment you've all been waiting for (with bated breath, I'm sure). The top 10 albums of the year I'll forever remember as being "meh": 2013. What was a crap year in life was in reality a great year for music. And heeeeeeeeere weeeeeeeeee GO.
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10.) Avenged Sevenfold - "Hail To The King"
I don't think there was a more anticipated album than Avenged Sevenfold's "Hail To The King." Following the death of founding member (and influential songwriter) Jimmy "The Rev," A7X came back strong with "Nightmare." However, "Nightmare" had been mostly written before the Rev passed, so everyone was eager to see how the remaining 4 members (and newly minted drummer Arin Ilejay) would rebound. Luckily, the band didn't disappoint. They came back with "Hail To The King," an album that is directly influenced by Metallica's "The Black Album" and carries a similar tone throughout. This album is focused primarily on groove and hard rock, as opposed to metalcore or other influences from their past, but it's still an Avenged Sevenfold album, and a good one at that.
9.) Queens Of The Stone Age - "...Like Clockwork"
Another highly-anticipated album, coming into 2013, was QOTSA's new one. Frontman and primary songwriter Josh Homme had been working on this album for about 5 years, so fans were eager to see what would come to be after the half-decade wait. What we got was perhaps the weirdest and most eclectic Queens album yet, but it was a very mature album that really stuck together as a cohesive whole; I fail to find one track I would prefer over the others, as I've only ever listened to it in its entirety. To me, that's what defines a great album in general.
8.) Devildriver - "Winter Kills"
Odds are, if you know Devildriver and any of their past material, you know what you're going to get with this album. They've always been a band that's focused on being heavy and incorporating big grooves into their songs, and this album is exactly that. The production on this album is far better than their 2011 effort "Beast," and features much better songwriting than either that album or their 2009 album "Pray For Villains." Personally, I'd consider it their best album since 2007's "The Last Kind Words," but it still isn't as good as that or their second album "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand." Devildriver doesn't recreate the wheel with this album, but they've already perfected their wheel and instead make it rounder than ever (and there's my odd pun for the review).
7.) Stone Sour - "House Of Gold & Bones"
Technically, "House Of Gold & Bones - Part 1" came out in late 2012, but I'm just going to consider both parts in my 2013 review. Together, "House Of Gold & Bones" is the best album Stone Sour has ever recorded, and finds them reaching new heights in every possible way: their rocking tunes are pure headbangers, their heavy tracks are the heaviest yet, the ballads are as melodic and catchy as ever, and everything is in full effect. The two-disc effort (which was separated by 6 months) is a truly epic double album, one that doesn't require a bunch of filler, either... it's end-to-end full of solid tracks.
6.) Living Sacrifice - "Ghost Thief"
Whenever I tell people that I like some Christian metal, they tend to ridicule me: people get the vision of spandex tights and giant crosses that bands like Stryper bring to their live shows. I then show them Living Sacrifice, and it usually tends to shut them up. Living Sacrifice has been doing it for over twenty years, and with the various member changes they've seen, they just keep getting heavier and heavier. After reuniting and releasing 2009's amazing "The Infinite Order," I was ecstatic for "Ghost Thief," and the band didn't disappoint. The album is a lean 10 songs, but each song is a pure metal gem, full of groove and thrash and snarling vocals and everything in-between.
5.) Alice In Chains - "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here"
Alice In Chains reunited with new vocalist William DuVall in 2009 and released a great album, "Black Gives Way To Blue," which was full of heartbreak and emotion and very reminiscent of their original classic album, "Dirt." For their new album, though, it seemed like they took an influence from their debut album "Facelift," and focused on creating rock anthems. "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is full of absolute gems, each track capable of being a single in and among itself. While some may write the new Alice In Chains off due to Layne Staley's passing years ago, I honestly believe that they are better than ever, and that "The Devil Puts Dinosaurs Here" might be their best album yet.
4.) Trivium - "Vengeance Falls"
I have always been a huge fanboy of Trivium. I'll admit it. A lot of people in the metal world hate on them for "selling out," but they fail to realize that a band that refuses to grow (coughSLAYERcough) becomes stagnant and boring. Trivium decided to team up with Disturbed frontman David Draiman to produce their new album, "Vengeance Falls," and his influence is very apparent: vocalist Matthew Heafy's vocals are better and stronger than ever, and you can really count his screaming parts on this album on one hand. It's very reminiscent of their past album "The Crusade," but instead of trying to copy Metallica, they've finally found what kind of sound they want to gun for. I didn't like the album much at all on my first listen, but on the second and third and so on it began to really grow on me, and it now may be one of my favorite of theirs... either this or 2008's "Shogun". Time will tell.
3.) The Bronx - "The Bronx IV"
I fell in love with The Bronx at around the time that their last album, "The Bronx III," came out in 2008. I dug their vibe, the way that they mixed hardcore, punk, modern rock, and classic rock... it's a very interesting mix, and the band proves that they just keep maturing as they get older. After a couple of years diving headfirst into their mariachi alter ego (with the excellent band name Mariachi el Bronx), the band made the decision to get back into the studio and pump out another album full of punk-fueled jams. "The Bronx IV" is a truly great album that may not be appreciated by past fans of the band, but it's another evolution from the band that shows them getting a little bit older but refusing to lose their fire.
2.) Killswitch Engage - "Disarm The Descent"
Killswitch Engage has been a mixed bag for me recently. Their albums "Alive Or Just Breathing" and "The End Of Heartache" are already classics of modern metalcore, but their following albums "As Daylight Dies" and the self-titled "Killswitch Engage" saw them descend from mediocre to just flat-out boring. Vocalist Howard Jones left the band due to personal reasons, and after some trials and tribulations, vocalist Jesse Leach rejoined the band. This immediately perked up my ears, as Jesse Leach was the voice that got me into Killswitch Engage and remains one of my favorite performers despite his low profile over recent years. However, just by Leach's passion and presence on the new album, "Disarm The Descent" was a giant success and put the band back on the map... it was the album I had been waiting for after "The End Of Heartache." It's almost as if he never left the band, and I truly can't wait to hear what Killswitch Engage can put together next time when they all write together.
1.) The Defiled - "Daggers"
In 2011, a little band out of the UK named The Defiled released their debut album, titled "Grave Times." When I first heard it, there was a lot about it that I loved, but it was largely an unpolished gem. It had some moments of greatness but was clouded with songs that ran too long and didn't realize their full potential. However, after teaming up with producer Jason Suecof, the Defiled released "Daggers" this past summer, and I was absolutely blown away. The Defiled mix modern metalcore with industrial metal and include some shocking visuals to their videos and look, but it all really works for them. Each song is a really solid song that not only makes you bang your head, but it also dares you to sing along to it, no matter where you are. It's truly a great album that I think will go down as a defining moment for the band. If you enjoy hard rock and/or metal and have yet to listen to this song, check out the videos for "As I Drown" and "Unspoken" and then immediately buy this album if you like what you hear. This is a young band that is destined for big things, and I'd love to see them succeed... especially if the music they write is as good as this.
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Honorable Mentions
Kvelertak - "Meir"
Hatebreed - "The Divinity Of Purpose"
Alter Bridge - "Fortress"
Sepultura - "The Mediator Between The Head And The Hands Must Be The Heart"
Betzefer - "The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land"
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Well, there you have it. Another year gone, and hopefully a few albums for you to sink your teeth into.
Until next year!
