Sami's best albums 2013

Best albums Anno Domini 2013

26 Dec 2013, 21:19

The order of albums is sort starting from the best (within category), but since it is not absolute I'll leave the numbers out. The order goes more vague after #5. The description of the genre is also something that should not be taken religiously.

Old (f)art(s)


Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
alternative rock/metal
I absolutely love this album. I have liked Josh Homme's voice in his previous projects and in QTSA and this album is not an exception. This album made me bought all their previous albums since before this I have played them only from Spotify and from...well from "radio". There was such a fierce competition between this and Spiritual Beggars about the best album of 2014, but in the last yards QTSA took the title.

Spiritual Beggars - Earth Blues
stoner metal
Wow, absolutely brilliant. I have sort of liked Spiritual Beggars, but have not been a big fan. This is again album that makes you to check the bands earlier production.


Cult of Luna - Vertikal
post metal
This has to be the one album that best fulfills the title "best albums of the year". It is one piece of art that consists vaguely of several songs. Really strong and uniform album that captures the atmosphere of Blade Runner or William Gibson's Neuromancer.


Hypocrisy - End of Disclosure
(melo)death
High expectations that were sort of met in the first listening. It is fast and kicks you on the nuts and slaps your face. Then a little hangover about the whole thing until you are ready after few weeks or months for a second round. Surprisingly get's better with more listening when you expect that it might grow tiresome.


Alice in Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
grunge
These dinosaurs released their second album after comeback and fortunately the level remains as good as with the previous one. Immediately recognized as Alice In Chains album, but I think no one can say that it is a bad thing. Easily made into my list.

Nick Cave & Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
alternative rock
This musical chameolon comes back this year with his old band Bad Seeds and not surprisingly he continues with the path of surprises. You start the playback and just wait what's there and kick your own expectations away. Easy to recognize to Nick Cave (of course with his voice), but also a meandering flow of music from the beginning to the end.

Soulfly - Savages
trash/groove metal
When Soulfly makes a new album it is very likely to be in my list. This year is no exception, especially since this album is a good album. Might not be the most aggressive one that they have made, but this cannot still be described as happy or anything like that.

Carcass - Surgical Steel
death metal
I knew Carcass only by name before this album, although music that I usually listen ows a lot to them. I'm sure that some old school listeners say that this must be the most commercial album of Carcass and they have sold their soul to the devil, but hey isn't that what they should do?

Amorphis - Circle
melodeath
New Amorphis album is in my list. Well if I continue, it should be enough to say that this continues the golden streak of Amorphis starting from Eclipse.

Monster Magnet - Last Patrol
stoner
My this years most played band and the new album was released quite late in the year. Earns a place in my list with the new album also.

Dark Tranquillity - Construct
melodeath
- Yet another band always in my lists. First it was hard to have a grip of this album, but again a few more plays did the trick. Maybe nothing new under the sun, but solid Dark Tranquillity quality.

Jex Thoth - Blood Moon Rise
psychedelic/doom
This one should not be called old fart, but since it was the only one between this and the next category, I left it here. Someone could say that this occult rock/metal business as well as all those bearded 25 year old men playing retro rock thing has went too far. Well, it may be so, but it does not make some of the music that they do any less good. Jex is definitely one of those who belong to the latter category. Well made album, with several "love track" tracks, although some of the songs aren't that special.

Hey, what's this and why I haven't listened you before

A Pale Horse Named Death - Lay My Soul to Waste
doom metal
Not the doomest doom metal, but sounds like doom version of Alice in Chains and a lot like Woods of Ypres (which sadly is no more). I think that something like this was also mentioned in some of the texts describing their music, but it really sounds like that. I like doom, I like Alice in Chains, I like Woods, I like my Pale Horse Named Death.

Tombstone Highway - Ruralizer
southern metal
This album puts your feet on the move, no way to resist. Knowing that these guys come from Italy makes their Southern metal sound even more awesome. Energetic, heavy but happy.

Kongh - Sole Creation
sludge/doom
This one goes to Spotify. I had been listening Kongh several times throughout the year and it was so and so if it should be in the list. When I decided, or actually were forced to do the final call, it was disappeared from the Spotify. One more argument to own your music, this wouldn't have happened. To be honest, I was going to buy the album, but did not find it with suitable price, so it might have been in the list anyway. Maybe nothing new under the sludge moon, but what they do they do well.

God Is An Astronaut - Origins
post rock
Ok, let's put it here. This is an album that I have dropped from my preliminary list so many times. Then I notice that I'm listening it again. I don't know if this has anything to do with metal or rock or anything, its has obviously ambient tones, but what the rest is, who knows? There isn't any individual songs that I could recommend, good album that's what it is.

Ghost - Infestissumam
occult rock
I did not like their first album. I do not like the beginning of their new album, but if you dare to listen beyond that it turns to have surprisingly touchy melodies and turnovers. Not the heaviest, definitely, but catchy. Barely made my list but did it anyway. This years Adele or Lana Del Rey.


Something special

Sound City - Real To Reel
rock
I have to admit that I checked some professional reviews about this album before making my decision (did not do that with the rest). The album have had a confusingly mixed reviews. Many seem to like it and some have absolutely hated it. I have to me on the side with those who have liked it. I do not find the edge of those reviews hating the album, after seeing the documentary and listening the songs from vinyl even less so. Sure there is a varying success with visiting artist, but the balance is far away from mediocre to the positive side. I do not find the millionaires tight schedule affecting the musical quality of this album, mostly they seemed to enjoy the sessions and even if Dave Grohl wanted to direct a documentary with limited skills in this field, it is a one that makes you feel happy after seeing it.

Jess and the Ancient Ones - Astral Sabbat
EP occult rock
Jess continues where they left of with the debut album with this little sampler. Waiting their second album and hope that they can keep on going strong.

Best gigs

Witchcraft, Kulttuurikeskus Korjaamo 12.1.2013

Jumping Jack, High on Fire, Lizzard, Tavastia 26.2.2013

This list of albums is highly subjective and is heavily affected by my time to listen each artist. Time allowing it could and would have been different. To name a few artists that have definitely been a victim of this lack of time are, Sepultura, Kylesa and Annihilator. From the potential list members also Korn, Deathchain, Howl, Lost Society, and Hanging Garden could have made it, but some of them I started to not like enough and some were too elusive. So this will be it, to bad or worse, the end.

Phage's Best Albums 2013

Best albums of the 2013

It’s listing time folks. This year turned to be a fine year after all (although I bought much less albums than in previous years). One may wonder why, but simply because I wanted to concentrate more to the music instead of collecting madly more albums. Interestingly, I was quite sure that my list would have been filled with metal and I kept saying that throughout the year. Now that I have listed everything, the selection appears to be quite versatile. I hope someone may find this list at least a bit interesting…

Carcass – Surgical Steel 

This is perhaps the best album of the year and one of the strongest return albums I’ve heard. Death metal with melodic twist, just the way I like it. Maybe mixing ended up a bit clinical, but it is not bad in any way.

Annihilator – Feast 

Judged by how much fun I’ve gained from this album, the album of the year would belong to this, but in fact the biggest fun came from the bonus disc which contained many remastered old classics. Feast itself is a great album and deserves this position.

Alice In Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here 

The sophomore album of the new AIC is not, in my opinion, as good as the “Black Gives Way to Blue”, but still strong release and many killer tracks.

Soulfly – Savages 

Soulfly is getting heavier with every release. “Savages” became of my favorite SF albums and contains absolutely craziest song name of the year: Ayatollah of Rock ‘n Rolla featuring Clutch singer Neal Fallon. 

Megadeth – Super Collider 
 
This is much better record than credited for. Period. MD had a small “lump” (that’s the th1rt3en), but Super Collider climbed back to the “at least decent” level. This is very versatile record (I find that to be only a good thing) containing faster tracks and slower ones, but in addition to that, the tempo within the songs also varies. This is the thing in this album. OK, some of the most dedicated (and idiotic) fans must have hated it, but guess what. Screw you : ) 

Cult of Luna – Vertikal

Vertikal is amazing sonic trip into the world of Blade Runner from these Swedish post metal masters. Definitively not the easiest album to listen to and needs a certain mood to be fully appreciated but I still rank this album very high.

Autopsy – The Headless Ritual 

A perfect example of how old school death metal is supposed to be: dirty, filthy, gore-filled musical abuse.

Goldfrapp – Tales of Us

This is my personal favorite chill-out album of the year. I liked the Felt Mountain a lot, and this is pretty much similar without dance pop elements. Works also well as a background music.

Jex Thoth – Blood Moon Rise 

Hipsters didn’t like this album. Well, for me that’s one more reason to like it! Other reason is that Blood Moon Rise is just great: epic, beautiful, and Jex. I think I need to see JT live gig again if they tour the area.

Nick Cave and the bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away 

This is another mood album for those late evenings or darker thoughts. Nick plays slow and beautifully, but continues thematically in the darker side of the life.

Amorphis – Circle 

Domestic metal masters made once again a fine album. This is somewhat a synthesis of Tomi Joutsen era, but at the same time, introducing many new elements (e.g. black metal). Clean vocals are also emphasized more than before, which gives nice contrast to growling parts.

Audrey Horne – Youngblood 
 
This band deserves more attention, I insist (and we want another gig in Helsinki)! AH has always been writing songs about human relationships and in their stories usually things are not so well. Youngblood continues the tradition, but musically this is more energetic than Le Fol ever was. Shortly put: very good and interesting hard rock, but awfully unknown.

Dark Tranquillity – Construct

When one of my favorite bands releases a new album, it is always a pleasure. Construct was, I think, a right album to for them to do in this point. They still continued to evolve, but more importantly, they maintained their distinct “DT” sound. Just get a new base player ASAP and future will be bright for you.

Vista Chino – Peace 

It is a bit difficult to ignore an album with Brant Bjork and John Garcia calling the shots. I somehow managed to do so, until this December so this is a last minute arrival. Great desert rock record.

Endless Boogie – Long Island 

One of the biggest surprises of the year 2013. I knew nothing about them until I read a review of Long Island. A trip to a strange world where people just jam and boogie goes on forever.

Monster Magnet – Last Patrol 
 
I really don’t know if this belongs to this list, I haven’t listened this enough to say it. But, what else a fan boy could to but to add this. Time will tell my final opinion, but so far it is OK.

Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance 

This must be the strangest album I’ve heard for a while, but I oddly like it a lot. Darkthrone continues to explore the frontiers of metal music and does that with skill and style. Their song writing capabilities are more than evident after this record.

Hypocrisy – End of Disclosure 

Another fan boy statement. A better Hypocrisy album, nothing new here, just good metal. 

Best gig of the 2013 -title goes to Annihilator. Their live performance were second to none: intensity, skill, speed and most of all the vocals were just unbelievable.