1. Legacy – Myrath
While
Myrath continues the simpler approach, they began with their previous album,
they still manage to satisfy the thirst for chugging guitars and complexity
that most prog-metal fans are looking for.
On top of that, the more streamlined approach absolutely works for them
and has allowed them to carve out their own path, far away from their Dream
Theater/Symphony X inspirations. Now,
Myrath is all their own, churning out some of the most infectious and energetic
songs around. While I came to love the
band for their proggier roots, Legacy is by far their best and most consistent
material yet. Not a single track fails
to disappoint the ears and the Arabic flair that was once a neat little gimmick
that came with their Tunisian heritage, is now on full, glorious display with
every song. The lyrics may be not leave
much room for imagination, but they get the message across without pretension
and are perfectly carried by the stellar vocal performance of Zaher Zorgati. There’s honestly not a bad thing I can say
about this album, save that it ends.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Believer
Duat
The Needle
2. Know Where to Run – Barry Adamson
Ah,
Barry Adamson, a god among men. Like
everything the man has released, Know Where to Run is filled with sharp
composition, smooth velvety vocals and some of the most top notch, literate and
darkly humorous lyrics around. Adamson,
as always, doesn’t disappoint with the cinematic flair of his music - every
track feels like it belongs to a movie that doesn’t exist. As always, the album is a diverse, but
otherwise cohesive, collection of different genres and pastiches. Hell, just to make example of how all over
the place this guy’s stuff is, the album opens with an instrumental track that sounds
straight out of a John Carpenter flick, finds itself going into a pop/jazz
dance track and later gives us a kickass mishmash instrumental track that’s all
at once: electronica, rockabilly and jazz.
There’s very little wrong with this album, save a couple tracks that
don’t really hit the mark. It’s also a
mild letdown that this is Adamson’s most accessible album, meaning he hits the
pop/dance influences more than he does the jazz/synth/funk influences. Still though, it’s a hell of a ride and shows
that the Jazz Devil’s still got it after all these years.
Tracks
worth checking out:
In Other Worlds
Up in the Air
Texas Crash
3. Clearview – Poets of the Fall
Since
the mild embarrassment that was Revolution Roulette, Poets of the Fall has
taken the smart route and meddled with genres and styles that more
appropriately suit the band’s style.
Thankfully, because of this choice, they’ve been consistently releasing
solid material that just seems to get better with each album. Coming off the absolute wonder that was
Jealous Gods, Clearview, I feel, is bound to be the absolute pinnacle of the
band. Everything they’ve released to
this point feels like it was built up to this album, Clearview is the
culmination of over a decade’s worth of work and material. Not only is it their most consistent record,
with not a dud track in sight, it’s also their most matured album in a musical
sense. Their rock, new wave and
electronica sensibilities all mesh together here with greater success than in
anything they’ve released before.
Marko’s vocals are better than they’ve ever been and the lyrics are
among the best they’ve written, which is saying a lot considering these guys
have some of the best lyrics around.
Clearview is smart, mature and contains some of the most emotional and
heartfelt songs the band has ever released.
The album’s not bound to win over those who never took interest in POTF,
but for the fans, it’s an absolute must.
Tracks
worth checking out:
The Game
Once Upon a Playground
Crystalline
4. Lighthouse – Iamthemorning
Lighthouse,
I say with no hyperbole, is an absolute masterpiece. While Barry, Myrath and POTF may take the top
three spots for me, Iamthemorning certainly holds their own and only gets the
fourth spot because numbered lists tend to ignore the fact that, sometimes, the
top five favorites are all about equal.
The Russian duo, on their third release, hits it out of the park once
again, with their jazzy, ethereal and beautifully composed pieces. Marjana’s vocals are an absolute wonder,
proving once again that she’s one of the top vocalists around, as she showcases
a diverse range and delivery. Gleb’s
piano compositions continue to impress, giving each song a classical vibe that very
much recalls chamber music, albeit with a jazzy/contemporary twist. Iamthemorning also gets some extra love for
bringing vocalists like Mariusz Duda onboard, giving tracks even greater
emotional resonance. I cannot more
highly recommend these two, they’re both exceptional musicians who craft some
of the most cohesive and beautiful pieces around. Timeless gets thrown around a great deal
these days, but I think it’s more than fitting for these two. Seriously, just buy their albums.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Too Many Years
Lighthouse
Libretto Horror
5.
The Fall of Hearts – Katatonia
I
only recently got into Katatonia sometime last-year and I must say, they’ve
very much piqued my interest, despite having only heard two albums from them so
far. Thanks to their ear catching,
contemporary metal stylings, mixed with more alternative and progressive
composition, it’s hard for me not to like them.
Despite the darker, more depressing lyrics, Katatonia also manages to
avoid the typical gothic angst of so many similar bands and is, rather, more
somber, atmospheric and reflective. The
band’s somber tones are especially helped thanks to the wonderfully light and
melodic vocals of Jonas Renske, who adds further layers and textures to the
music through his stellar performance.
These guys may well find themselves in my top favorites if their work
maintains the consistency of the two albums I already own.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Serac
Serein
Residual
6.
Into the Legend – Rhapsody of Fire
Nobody
quite does epic like Rhapsody of Fire.
Oh sure, you’ve got Nightwish, Epica and myriad bands like that, but
there’s just something to the way Rhapsody of Fire composes and performs their
music that sits them well above their power metal contemporaries. Could also be that they had Christopher Lee
narrating an earlier album too, that grants them some proper awesome
points. Into the Legend, like many of
their other albums, is a bombastic, orchestra filled ball of pure unadulterated
cheese of the most glorious variety.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Valley of Shadows
The Kiss of Life
Distant Sky
7.
Folklore – Big Big Train
Big
Big Train has always been a consistent and exceptional prog rock band and this
album continues that trend. While
they’re sticking with the tried and true formulas of classic prog rock, they do
it with a masterful confidence. Sticking
true to the album’s title, Folklore goes out with some more restrained and
folksy songs, albeit with that prog panache.
It’s brilliantly executed, exceptionally written and genuinely
powerful. If you like your rock classic,
proggy and folksy, then Folklore is an album one should not miss.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Folklore
Wassail
Winkie
8.
The Unreasonable Silence – Cosmograf
Yet
another new-ish band I discovered last-year, through their album
Capacitator. Like that album, The Unreasonable
Silence is an atmospheric and resonant concept album, albeit rather than
focused on death and spirituality, The Unreasonable Silence focuses on
existentialism and the unknown. Being
it’s a concept album, it is loosely based on The Myth of Sisyphus, which grants
for all kinds of thoughtful tracks. Of
the albums listed, I’d argue it’s the most challenging of the bunch, given its
subject matter, but, despite being exceptionally realized and wonderfully
composed and performed, it just didn’t hit me quite like the above albums did
this year. Still though, it’s worth a
listen, especially if you enjoy your music with some existential themes.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Plastic Men
Four Wall Euphoria
This Film Might Change Your Life
9.
Skeleton Tree – Nick Cave
I
hate to put a Nick Cave album so low on the list, but I’m going off what albums
entertained me the most this year and, while Skeleton Tree is fucking
phenomenal, it’s also extremely heavy and with good reason. It’s obvious that Skeleton Tree’s content and
tone is, for the most part, inspired by the death of Nick Cave’s son. Skeleton Tree isn’t a fun album and it’s,
honestly, goddamned difficult to listen to.
It’s bleak, it’s depressing and its atmosphere is thick and nihilistic. There are some moments of solace and a tinge
of brightness, but these are more bittersweet than anything else. This isn’t passive music you can just jam in
the background, it demands your attention.
The album comes highly recommended, just make sure you’re not already in
a deep depression before you decide to spin the record.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Rings of Saturn
Skeleton Tree
Magneto
10.
II – Lords of Black
Straight,
balls to the wall power metal from Spain.
Despite the fact that everything is standard, it’s exceptionally done
and with some infectious choruses that demand repeat listens. They’re still a relatively young band, but if
this and their debut is anything to go by, they’re definitely one to keep an
eye on.
Tracks
worth checking out:
Everything You’re Not
New World’s Comin’
Live by the Lie, Die by the Truth
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