Top 15 Metal Albums of 2010

There are a lot of different ways people go about ranking albums in a given year. Some people go strictly on musical ability, others list only their favorite bands, and some go just on how much they played that album. I like to do a little bit of all three, but mainly this is more of a "favorite" albums list than a "best" albums list. My musical knowledge is somewhat limited compared to others, but I know deliciousness when I hear it and I also know crap when I hear it. Some albums are less "metal" than others on here, but if it resonated enough with me I put it on here.

Tasty EP's to give a spin:

Beneath The Massacre - Maree Noire 
This EP is absolutely crushing. Canadian tech-death outfit BTM keep it interesting without just trying to cram as many notes into each song as possible. Very fluid and a fun listen throughout.

TesseracT - Concealing Fate EP

Part of the "Djent" movement, TesseracT bring a nice blend of clean vocals with a chug-chug sound. Think a more mellow Periphery. Should be interesting to see where this band is headed.

Structures - All of the Above

Awesome debut by another Canadian band, Structures' EP has an interesting blend of time changes and natural breakdowns to go with some sweet riffs. Have listened to them way too much since I got this.

The Devil Wears Prada - Zombie EP 

Very aggressive and humorous release by TDWP. The ridiculous movie quotes and sound effects were a nice touch to a sound that I hope these guys explore more seriously. Too chorusy still, however.

Torche - Songs For Singles

Some people were disappointed by the new Torche songs, but I was impressed. They maintain that uncanny catchiness while keeping their stoner sludge sound alive, without making it sound exactly like Meanderthal.

Top 15 of 2010

15. We Butter The Bread With Butter - Der Tag an dem die Welt unterging 

Very hard to classify this German metalcore band other than "awesome". Their mix of electro sound with heavy metal and ridiculous pig squeals in their native tongue are quite catchy. Nothing out of the ordinary instrumentally, but the way the album is executed makes it enjoyable to listen to more than once, with a unique blend of generally opposite genres.

Song to check out: Der Tag an dem die Welt unterging

14. After The Burial - In Dreams

It was hard deciding to put this in the Top 15 or to throw it on the most disappointing list. Having listened to it multiple times, it has gotten better with each listen. However, it certainly doesn't come close to competing with Rareform and left me wanting more. There are still catchy riffs and creative breakdowns, and they still maintain that same bounce to them, but the songs just aren't as memorable. It still is a good album, and I am still glad I purchased it, but I just want more.

Song to check out: My Frailty

13. Through The Eyes of the Dead - Skepsis

After deciding to self produce this album, TTEOTD made great strides on this album. "Deathcore" is becoming a very muddled genre but here is a standout album in that genre. Great riffs combined with some brutal and not forced breakdowns make for a nice release. Some songs are more memorable than others, but overall the energy and depth to Skepis is far ahead a lot of their contemporaries. Also, the vocals carry more weight than one would expect for a non-singing band because this guy just sounds so pissed the whole album, very awesome.

Song to check out: The Manifest

12. I The Breather - These Are My Sins

While this album hasn't been out long, I have had a difficult time taking it out of my cd player since I bought it. Again, nothing really out of the ordinary from these guys, but man is their stuff catchy. A generous mix of August Burns Red-type song structures with a little poor-man's Born of Osiris sporadicness, this album has a lot of aggressiveness to it while staying fairly accessible. I can imagine I The Breather will become quite popular. A little too much fluff on the album to make it great, but still a fun listen.

Song to check out: Forgiven

11. This Or The Apocalypse - Haunt What's Left

Another band that doesn't really reinvent the wheel, but executes very well. After working with Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler in production, their overall sound really became refined on this album. Each of their songs display solid guitar work, while no two songs sound alike, doing a nice job of mixing up their structures and doing a better job of creating their own unique blend of metalcore. No longer are these guys one of the ABR "little brothers". They will be holding their own in the metal community for quite some time

Song to check out: Hellish

10. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - Danza III: The Series of Unfortunate Events

If for some reason you think you know the boundaries of the guitar, please think again. Or at least get back to me after you listen to this album. Just watching the production videos for this album were incredible, let alone listening to the whole deal. Very chaotic, very heavy and very very good, Danza III picks up where their last album left off, only improving their overall sound. My only beef is that the first half of the album is more interesting than the second half, or this would be the clear cut album of the year.

Song to check out: Yippie-Kay-Yay Motherfucker

9. Periphery - Periphery

The long awaited self-titled debut from Periphery generally left fans either completely stoked or utterly abandoned. With a new vocalist (Spencer Sotello) to complete these instrumental wizards, this album is extremely well crafted from start to finish. Misha "Bulb" Mansoor is one of the better guitarists in metal right now, and the groove and aggression this band brings is very refreshing in a muddled genre. Awesome all around.

Song to check out: Light

8. Chiodos - Illuminaudio

Much was made about the departure of vocalist Craig Owens from the band before the recording of this album, but man did they get better or what! Chiodos was kind of hit and miss with me, but their new album delivers in a way I didn't think they could. A strong mesh of catchiness (Brandon Bolmer's clean and screaming vocals are much better than Owens') and heaviness, Illuminaudio sounds like a mix between Coheed & Cambria and blessthefall. Strong beginning and a good flow throughout the whole album. Definitely a surprise and not a disappointment.

Song to check out: Modern Wolf Hair

7. Haste The Day - Attack of the Wolf King

With this being the final release from Haste The Day, there isn't a better way these guys could have gone out. Wolf King is more or less a culmination of their previous works, with added talent on the drums and at guitar to put the band to new heights. While only one original band member remained for their final days, this album has a great blend of melody and raw power while keeping that noticeable Haste The Day sound. Hats off to one of the torch bearers in Christian metal for sticking through multiple lineup changes and putting together a great album in their final go-around.

Song to check out: Travesty

6. The Acacia Strain - Wormwood

So many bands out there try to be heavy, for being heavy's sake. Not only do 99% of them suck, but most of them are actually popular. But there stands The Acacia Strain, taking their heavy brand of metal and hardcore to a different level. The doom and roughness of this album trumps everything they've done to date, and while it took a little while for me to warm up to this album, the songs are there to make this album awesome. I can't wait to see some of their new material live.

Song to check out: The Hills Have Eyes

5. As I Lay Dying - The Powerless Rise

Unlike metalcore contemporaries Killswitch Engage, AILD took their sound and made it less accessible and took pride in their work rather than going for a radio audience and watering down their music. This album showcases their guitar work brilliantly. A lot heavier than their previous material, The Powerless Rise strays from the chorus/solo/breakdown formula and brings a lot more of a thrash element to the table, which is quite pleasant. Good to see these guys keeping it raw amidst their popularity, maybe opening some eyes to "true" metalheads.

Song to check out: Beyond Our Suffering

4. The Chariot - Long Live

This is another one of those albums where a group's career has led to this kind of release. The Chariot took their chaotic blend of punk and hardcore, mixed it with a little Georgia soul and took it to the next level. Awesome energy, awesome riffs, extremely catchy while still remaining out of control, Let Live's only real issue is that it is too short! Check this album out regardless of what type of music you like, it breaks so many boundaries that it's not even funny. Perfectly encompasses their live energy into album form.

Song to check out: David De La Hoz

3. Norma Jean - Meridional

I was starting to doubt the craziness that fueled Norma Jean through their first two albums when The Anti-Mother came out. Good album, but nothing like the scariness that resonated in the early years. Meridional took a giant leap back to the brutality they used to stand for, and refined it a bit and made a great album. Extraordinarily memorable from front to back, lyrically and musically this album is amazing. A record label switch was much needed (as was the case with The Chariot) and with it grew the creative licensing of Norma Jean and a bold future for this group.

Song to check out: The Anthem of the Angry Brides

2. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis

I saw these guys at Warped Tour on the main stage and almost NO ONE was watching because everyone went to go check out Whitechapel and Of Mice and Men or some crap like that...so sad. Dillinger is on top of their game right now, and this album is just about flawless. Mike's vocals are to notch as usual, and the band took a step back towards not being able to comprehend what they're playing while still keeping the songs memorable and catchy. Hard to do with their style of metal. Hats of to DEP, one of the real hard workers in the industry.

Song to check out: Farewell Mona Lisa (but seriously check out all of them)

1. Veil of Maya - [id]

Now that's what I'm talking about. This is exactly what I want to hear when I wake up in the morning, when I take a shower, when I am at work, when I drive, when I eat, and when I sleep. This is the best 29 minutes in audio form I have had all year. So so good from front to back. Lots of complexities while being fairly accessible, especially for only having one guitarist (one of the best around might I add). Seeing them live confirmed their credibility as being amazing, and this album pushed their "Sumeriancore" sound to the limit. The replay-ability of [id] is unlimited as well. Go out there and get this album if you haven't gotten to listen to it before. Brutal, melodic, chaotic and as memorable as they come.

Song to check out: Unbreakable

Honorable Mention: Other albums worth giving a listen

Ion Dissonance - Cursed
Very aggressive and very heavy, good technical metal from our Canadian brethren.

Coheed & Cambria - Year of the Black Rainbow

Better use of ex-Dillinger drummer Chris Pennie; awesome prog rock and solid all the way through.

A Plea For Purging - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

A slight change in sound, but still pretty decent all around. Good metalcore with brutal honesty and aggression.

Whitechapel - A New Era of Corruption

Not a fan of these guys before this album, but it really is a good piece of work throughout.

The Contortionist - Exoplanet

Unique sound with depth and melody that is often mixed together poorly. Rings of Meshuggah and BTBAM.

Demon Hunter - The World Is A Thorn

Nothing too out of the ordinary, but member changes alowed for a little more aggressiveness it seemed.

The Sword - Warp Riders
Spacy album, very creative story telling throughout. A little more rock than previous releases, but still sweet.

Mnemic - Sons of the System
Never heard of them until this album, good bounce and flow to it. Nice mix of harsh and clean vocals.

Powerglove - Saturday Morning Apocalypse

Hilarious. Metal covers of cartoon songs, surprised this hasn't happened earlier. Well executed.

Stick To Your Guns - The Hope Division
Awesome hardcore band, good album. A little more depth than their previous work. Great energy.

The Great American Beast - Domestic Blood
Southern fried metal going to work, very catchy and very raw. A little more wild than, say, MATSOD.

Kvelertak - Kvelertak
Just got this album recently after reading good reviews, very catchy Norwegian metal. Solid album.




Favorite Non-Metal Album:


Foxy Shazam - Foxy Shazam

This guy's voice is outstanding, like a modern day Freddy Mercury. Very fun album, lots of good guitar work as well.



Disappointments: Albums that left me wanting a lot more

Within The Ruins - Invade
No memorable songs whatsoever. Good guitar work but that's about it.

Parkway Drive - Deep Blue
Not a terrible album by any means, but I have high expectations with these guys and they just didn't deliver on this one.

MyChildren MyBride - Lost Boy
Bad album, definitely took many steps back from their debut; showed they have a musical ceiling and they hit it.

Underoath - Disambiguation
Again, not a bad album but nothing memorable enough to make me want to listen to it again.

Bleeding Through - Bleeding Through
Common theme here is lack of memorability, and this qualifies as well. Good guitar work but no good songs.

All That Remains - For We Are Many
Another step in the radio direction for ATR and it is hurting their sound that was so captivating in their first two albums.

Bullet For My Valentine - Fever
Another step off my radar for these guys. It hurt to listen to this all the way through.

Yes I know Bring Me The Horizon and A Day To Remember, who are touring together early next year, both came out with new albums this year. And they both blow so hard.