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I have been doing this for the last few years. I am looking for releases in the following genres: Indie-Pop, Indie-Rock, Post-Rock, Math Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk, Pop-Punk, Post-Punk, Progressive Punk, Hardcore, Post-Hardcore, Progressive Hardcore, Shoegaze, Avant-Garde, Experimental, Psychedelic, Noise-Rock, (Real) Emo, Post-Emo, Screamo, Thrash-Metal, Doom-Metal, Black-Metal, Death-Metal, Progressive Metal, Post-Metal, Stoner Metal, Sludge, Ska, Ska-Punk, Reggae, Orgcore, Folk, Alt-Country, Singer Songwriter…or anything along those lines.

This year I will be much more active in my reviewing. The last three years I have slacked quite a bit.

Here is the list I have so far:
Yo La Tengo- Fade
Bad Religion- True North
Ra Ra Riot- Beta Love
Rescuer- With Time Comes The Comfort
Brave Bird- Maybe You, No One Else Worth It
Ducktails -The Flower Lane
Night Marchers -Allez Allez
I Hate Our Freedom- This Year’s Best Disaster
Mystical Weapons- Mystical Weapons
This Town Needs Guns- 13.0.0.0.0
My Bloody Valentine- M B V
Ladyfinger (NE) -Errant Forms
Frightened Rabbit -Pedestrian Verse
Foals- Holy Fire
Airstrip -Willing
Civil War Rust -The Fun And The Lonely (cannot get the CD to download to Computer)
Shai Hulud -Reach Beyond The Sun
Johnny Marr -The Messenger
Broadway Calls -Comfort/Distraction
Jim James -Regions Of Light And Sound Of God
Swinging Utters- Poorly Formed
Endless Boogie- Long Island
Off With Their Heads- Home
Justin Timberlake- The 20/20 Experience
The Sky We Scrape- Divides

Here is the list of albums I know about but do not have
Telekinesis- Dormarion
Streetlight Manifesto- Hands That Theive
Bronx- Bronx (IV)
Jello Biafra And The Guantanamo School Of Medicine -White People & The Damage Done
Cave Singers -Naomi
Chelsea Light Moving -Chelsea Light Moving
Lovely Bad Things -The Late Great Whatever
Shout Out Louds -Optica
Beach Fossils -Clash The Truth
Pool Party -Pool Party Party
Dangerbird -Johnny
Pissed Jeans -Honeys
Boats -A Fairway Full Of Miners
Matt Pond -The Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand
Bleeding Rainbow -Yeah Right
Empire! Empire!- ????
Jason Clackley and the Exquisites-
Two Knights - A Lot of Bad Things Have Happened, But We're Still Here
Plow United- Marching Band
Hundredth- Revolt
Vales- Clarity
Restorations- LP2
Alkaline Trio -My Shame Is True
Young Statues -Age Isn't Ours
Low -The Invisible Way
Men -New Moon
Deathfix -Deathfix
Big Dick -Big Dick
Tomahawk -Oddfellows
Guided By Voices -Down By The Racetrack
Rika- How to Draw a River, Step By Step
Richard Thompson- Electric
Face to Face- Three Chords and a Half Truth
Iron Reagan- Worse Than Dead
Road Home- Old Hearts
Captain We’re Sinking- The Future is Cancelled
Cloakroom- Infinity
Arsis- Unwelcome
Coasta- Sunzal
Daylight-Jar
Guided By Voices- English Little League
Howl- Bloodlines
Koji- Crooked In My Mind
Pretty & Nice- Golden Rules For Golden People
Sharks- Selfhood
Toxic Holocaust- From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction
Iron & Wine- Ghost on Ghost
Thermals- Desperate Ground
Turnover- Magnolia
Kurt Vile -Wakin On A Pretty Daze
Besnard Lakes- Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
Bleached- Ride Your Heart
Mudhoney- Vanishing Point
Wire- Change Becomes Us
Inspector- Ska A La Carta
Safe Hands- Montenegro
Youth Lagoon- Wondrous Bughouse
Iceage- You’re Nothing
Suicidal Tendencies- 13
Atoms For Peace- Amok

2012 was a year of little changes, some good moments and things going on... Not very exciting for what should be the last year of mankind, but fortunately, it wasn't. In music, not many changes, just a Simply Red-mania. Here we go with my top 20 of the year (it also contains songs from other years):

20 - Simply Red - Money's Too Tight (To Mention) Simply Red is a band I used to dislike, but this year I start loving their songs. And this one is a very good one
19 - Simply Red - Stars Almost ten years hitting number two on my 2003's Top 20 here it is again. It is a beautiful love song. Never will get tired of it
18 - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Mr. Raffles (Man It Was Mean) A great song I've listened for more than 10 years, but grew on me just in 2012. The weird lyrics are part of the fun of the song
17 - Chris Rea - The Road To Hell This is one of best examples of driving song. When you hear it, all you can imagine is being in a highway. And it's pretty good song with an awesome solo
16 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Even You Brutus? I think RHCP will never get outdated. Their new album has a bunch of very good songs and it's not easy for a band that is on the road for almost 30 years. This song is the best of the album, in my opinion
15 - Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know It's the third consecutive time that Billboard's #1 song of the year figures also in my top 20. And this song deserves to be in any top 20. It's a very good pop song with some unusual sounds
14 - Marilyn Manson - Heart-Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Hand) This song already took part in my top 20 in 2010. And it's here again for two reasons: it's a great song and it seems it's always connected to my memories
13 - Simply Red - More Third appearance of Simply Red on the list (more to come). Another great song of theirs. Very classy balad.
12 - Pat Benatar - Love Is a Battlefield Songpop was a fever in the middle of the year. And it's a very good way to discover great songs. This gem I discovered there and I have been listening frequently to it since then. The solo at the end is gorgeous.
11 - Rush - Working Man Wow, what a song! Certainly a masterpiece. I can't get enough of it. If I discovered this song earlier, it surely would be a candidate for the top position (I only discovered this masterpiece in december)
10 - Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence This song is one of the best love songs ever made. I already knew this song and in 2012 there was a 'revival'
09 - Simply Red - Holding Back The Years This song was the main responsible for my Simply Red mania in 2012. It made me look for their greatest hits compilation, which make me fall in love with their work. Very soulful ballad
08 - Rainbow - Gates of Babylon I already knew Malmsteen version, but Rainbow's version is even better. Definitely, a heavy metal masterpiece
07 - Roxy Music - Avalon Bryan Ferry at his finest. Very fancy ballad.
06 - Elton John - Skyline Pigeon Elton John is again in my top 20. This time, with this superb song. There are two versions of this song, I prefer the earlier one, from Empty Sky
05 - Queen - Back Chat This song is a proof that Queen still could produce very good music in the 80s. I gave a listen to their album Hot Space and adored this song at the very first listen
04 - Simply Red - Something Got Me Started Another Simply Red song in the list. Very nice dance song of theirs. The one-note piano solo at the end is awesome
03 - Simply Red - Sunrise Simply Red were able to turn a very good song (I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)) into another very good song. I think it's a perfect song for summer
02 - Modern Talking - Cheri Cheri Lady Another song brought to me by Song Pop game. Very good 80s song. It makes you want to return at that times for a moment
01 - PSY - Gangnam Style Ok. It may sound as a cliché. This song was a worldwide fever and it also affected me. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is a very pleasant song (with a very funny video). Besides that, it took part of many moments of fun during the second half of the year. In 2032, if you ask me about 2012, I'll probably tell you something related to this song.

Better late than never.

…or so they say? Well, it is kinda late, but then again, I was too greedy – wanted to rat—I mean, listen to so much music, hence the delay.

Note that my rating scale may (and probably will) differ from yours. Short summary:
9 – amazing
8 – very good, recommended for everyone
7 – not bad, if you like the genre/band very much, you might give it a try…
6 – well, you CAN listen to it, but there’s no point. Boring/annoying for some reason. Not recommended (maybe if you’re a fanboy of the band – but in that case you’d already own the album)
Anything below 6 – no. Just no.

2/10
This or the Apocalypse – Dead Years // I’d rather have the Apocalypse…

5/10
All That Remains – A War You Can Not Win

5,5/10
As I Lay Dying – Awakened
Ektomorf – Black Flag
Every Time I Die – Ex Lives

6/10
Arthemis – We Fight
At Vance – Facing Your Enemy
Cradle of Filth – The Manticore and Other Horrors
Delain – We Are the Others
DragonForce – The Power Within
Eluveitie – Helvetios
Elvenking - Era
Engel – Blood of Saints
Korpiklaani – Manala
Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline
Manowar – The Lord of Steel
Running Wild - Shadowmaker

6,5/10
Blaze – The King of Metal
Dokken – Broken Bones
Hunter - Królestwo
Huntress – Spell Eater
Iron Fire – Voyage of the Damned
Pathfinder – Fifth Element
Pennywise – All or Nothing
Serj Tankian – Harakiri
Slash – Apocalyptic Love
Steelwing – Zone of Alienation
Van der Graaf Generator - Alt
Van Halen – A Different Kind of Truth
Vision Divine - Destination Set to Nowhere

7/10
16 – Deep Cuts from Dark Clouds
Aborted – Globar Flatline
Acid Drinkers – La Part du Diable
Adrenaline Mob - Omertá
Aura Noir – Out to Die
Avatar – Black Waltz
Beneath the Massacre - Incongruous
Bloodbound – In the Name of Metal
Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity
Cloudscape – New Era
Corrosion Of Conformity – Corrosion of Conformity
Devil’s Train – Devil’s Train
Dr. Living Dead! – Radioactive Intervention
Flotsam and Jetsam – Ugly Noise
Hellwell – Beyond the Boundaries of Sin
Hour of Penance – Sedition
Incantation – Vanquish in Vengeance
Kiss - Monster
Krampus – Survival of the Fittest
Lamb of God - Resolution
Magnum - On the 13th Day
Ministry – Relapse
Municipal Waste – The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space
Napalm Death - Utilitarian
Nothnegal – Decadence
Pig Destroyer – Book Burner
Prong – Carved Into Stone
Ram-Zet – Freaks in Wonderland
Saint Vitus – Lillie: F-65
Secret Sphere – Portrait of a Dying Heart
Soundgarden – King Animal
Soulfly – Enslaved
Steve Harris – British Lion
Stolen Babies – Naught
The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet
The Offspring – Days Go By
The Omega Experiment – The Omega Experiment
Therion – Les Fleurs du Mal
To-Mera - Exile
TrollfesT – Brumblebassen
Turbonegro – Sexual Harassment
UFO – Seven Deadly
Ultravox - Brilliant
Wildernessking – The Writing of Gods in the Sand
Wolfsbane – Wolfsbane Save the World
Yakuza - Beyul
Zonaria – Arrival of the Red Sun

7,5/10
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Lost Songs
3 Inches of Blood – Long Live Heavy Metal
Adorned Brood - Kuningaz
Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas
Angel Witch – As Above, So Below
Asidefromaday – Chasing Shadows
Asphyx – Deathhammer
Bedemon – Symphony of Shadows
Before the Dawn – Rise of the Phoenix
Behold… The Arctopus - Horrorscension
Between the Buried and Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence
Bison B.C. - Lovelessness
Bonded By Blood – The Aftermath
Christian Mistress – Possession
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
Crystal Viper – Crimen Excepta
Dawn of Destiny - Praying to the World
Deftones – Koi No Yokan
Destruction - Spiritual Genocide
Dethklok – Dethalbum III
Dew-Scented - Icarus
Dodecahedron – Dodecahedron
Dyscarnate – And So It Came to Pass
Europe – Bag of Bones
Eyefear – The Inception of Darkness
Firewind – Few Against Many
Gotthard – Firebirth
Grave Digger – Clash of the Gods
Ian Anderson – Thick as a Brick 2: Whatever Happened to Geralt Bostock?
Jorn – Bring Heavy Rock to the Land
Kamelot - Silverthorn
Lillian Axe – XI: The Days Before Tomorrow
Mekong Delta - Intersections
Meshuggah – Koloss
Nile – At the Gate of Sethu
Obsession – Order of Chaos
Odium – Burning the Bridges to Nowhere
Ørkenkjøtt - Ønskediktet
Paradox - Tales of the Weird
Paragon – Force of Destruction
Pharaoh – Bury the Light
Prototype – Catalyst
Rebellion – Arminius: Furor Teutonicus
Scott Kelly and the Road Home – The Forgiven Ghost in Me
Seven Kingdoms – The Fire Is Mine
Sigur Rós – Valtari
Sister Sin – Now and Forever
Skálmöld - Börn Loka
Sophicide – Perdition of the Sublime
Spawn of Possession - Incurso
Spheric Universe Experience – The New Eve
Steve Vai – The Story of Light
Storm Corrosion – Storm Corrosion
Suicidal Angels – Bloodbath
Sybreed – God Is an Automaton
Sylosis – Monolith
Tank – War Nation
Tankard – A Girl Called Cerveza
Tenacious D – Rize of the Fenix
The Cult – Choice of Weapon
The Faceless - Autotheism
The Stranded – Survivalism Boulevard
Thy Majestie – ShiHuangDi
Tygers of Pan Tang - Ambush
Ulver – Childhood’s End
Varg – Guten Tag
Vindicator - United We Fall
ZZ Top – La Futura

8/10
4Arm - Submission for Liberty
Agalloch – Faustian Echoes
Ahab – The Giant
Alcest – Les Voyages de l’âme
Altar of Oblivion – Grand Gesture of Defiance
Angelus Apátrida - The Call
Änglagård – Viljans öga
Aoria - The Constant
Arjen Anthony Lucassen – Lost In the New Real
Baroness – Yellow & Green
Barren Earth – The Devil’s Resolve
Beardfish – The Void
Black Country Communion - Afterglow
Bob Dylan - Tempest
Borknagar – Urd
Circus Maximus - Nine
Crippled Black Phoenix – (Mankind) The Crafty Ape
Devin Townsend Project – Epicloud
Dordeduh – Dar de duh
Drudkh – Eternal Turn of the Wheel
Dysrhythmia - Test of Submission
Ensiferum – Unsung Heroes
Evoken – Atra Mors
Ex Deo – Caligvla
Fear Factory – The Industrialist
Flying Colors – Flying Colors
Gazpacho – March of Ghosts
Gojira – L’enfant Sauvage
Gorod – A Perfect Absolution
Grave – Endless Procession of Souls
Headspace – I Am Anonymous
Herman Frank – Right In the Guts
Hexvessel – No Holier Temple
High on Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis
Hypno5e – Acid Mist Tomorrow // These –core vocals ruin the experience a bit, this album can be really beautiful at times…
Jeff Loomis – Plains of Oblivion
Joe Bonamassa – Driving Towards the Daylight
Junius – Reports From the Threshold of Death
Killing Joke – MMXII
Lahmia – Into the Abyss
Luca Turilli's Rhapsody – Ascending to Infinity
Machinae Supremacy – Rise of a Digital Nation
Magma - Félicité Thösz
Marillion – Sounds That Can’t Be Made
Monolithe – Interlude Second
Monolithe – Monolithe III
Mors Principium Est - ...And Death Said Live
My Dying Bride – A Map of All Our Failures
Ne Obliviscaris – Portal of I
Neal Morse - Momentum
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
Neurosis – Honor Found In Decay
Orange Goblin – A Eulogy for the Damned
OSI – Fire Make Thunder
Periphery – II
Ram - Death
Rival Sons – Head Down
RPWL – Beyond Man and Time
Rush – Clockwork Angels
Sabaton – Carolus Rex
Sonata Arctica – Stones Grow Her Name
Status Minor – Ouroboros
Swans – The Seer
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster - Exegesis
Tame Impala – Lonerism
Thank You Scientist - Maps of Non-Existent Places
The Flower Kings – Banks of Eden
The Gathering – Disclosure
The Night Flight Orchestra - Internal Affairs
The Sword - Apocryphon
Threshold – March of Progress
Tourniquet – Antiseptic Bloodbath
T.R.A.M. – Lingua Franca
Ufomammut – Oro: Opus Primum
Ufomammut – Oro: Opus Alter
Unisonic - Unisonic
Unleashed – Odalheim
Wintersun – Time I
Woods of Ypres - Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light

8,5/10
Accept – Stalingrad
Aeternam - Moongod
Altar of Oblivion - Salvation
Anathema – Weather Systems
Daylight Dies – A Frail Becoming
Dead Can Dance – Anastasis
Enochian Theory - Life ...And All It Entails
Enslaved – RIITIIR
Graveyard – Lights Out
Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma
Ihsahn - Eremita
Katatonia – Dead End Kings
Kreator – Phantom Antichrist
My Sleeping Karma - Soma
Naïve - Illuminatis
Overkill – The Electric Age
Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol
Rage – 21
Saturnus – Saturn in Ascension
Swallow the Sun – Emerald Forest and the Blackbird
The Foreshadowing – Second World
The Pineapple Thief – All the Wars

9/10
Be’lakor – Of Breath and Bone
Candlemass – Psalms for the Dead
Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pandora’s Piñata
Earthen Grave – Earthen Grave
Grand Magus – The Hunt
Sigh – In Somniphobia
Testament – Dark Roots of Earth
Witchcraft - Legend

And now – Top 3.

…or should I say, top 4?
#3 – 9 (with a small plus)/10

Moonspell – Alpha Noir / Omega White




…because Alpha Noir and Omega White are separate albums. And that’s their major disadvantage. One of Moonspell’s unique attributes was keeping perfect constrast between atmosphere/beauty and brutality. Well, in a way this contrast still exists – but as two albums. Damn it, it’s not even over 80 minutes long – this could (and SHOULD) have been one CD. But… I picked it as number 3 out of 250+ rated albums, so… yeah.

#2 – 9,5/10

Atoma - Skylight



The atmosphere in this… Truly a majestic piece…


9,5/10 and the title of Album of the Year

goes to…

In Mourning – The Weight of Oceans



I really don’t know what write about that one. Just listen to it yourself. Almost on par with their debut (which is one of my favorite albums of all time).


That's all, folks. Before you comment please check if your favorite album of this year doesn't suck. :>

Another year has came and gone. Is it just me or did it seem to just fly by? Either way, 2012 left us with quite an impressive list of music. And while there were some disappointments, it was for the most part, a year chalked full of gems. Here's what I thought 2012 delivered to us:

My 10 Favorite*
*(in alphabetical order)



...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead-Lost Songs
Trail of Dead is back again with their eighth studio album. You might think that after 15 plus years and 8 releases, a band would have time keeping things fresh without sounding stale and just releasing an album of fillers, but not these guys. While Lost Songs departs from their orchestrated, concept-like style of 2011's Tao Of The Dead, it continues to take their sound back to their earlier alternative, punk sound that I love.




Between the Buried and Me-The Paralax II:Future Sequence
Although this album in my opinion doesn't come close to The Great Misdirect (my favorite), Colors, or Alaska, there is no denying that The Paralax II fucking slays. BTBAM continue to provide us with technically structured, progressive metal layered with melodic elements. These guys can't seem to do no wrong in my book.




Converge-All We Love We Leave Behind
Well this should come as no surprise. I'm sure we'll be seeing this one on everyone's top ten lists, for good reason though. Converge just seem to be getting better with every album. I love damn near most of their albums, especially their later work, but I think this one may be my favorite. I can't stop listening to it. I've also said it before and I'll say it again, Ben Koller is quickly becoming one of my favorite drummers and he proves it on this one.




Exotic Animal Petting Zoo-Tree Of Tongues
I was anticipating the release of this one for a while. They first caught my attention back in 2008 with the release of their debut, I Have Made My Bed In Darkness. I was immediately drawn to their blend of technical hardcore structures reminiscent of the pop-pier side of The Dillinger Escape Plan mixed with melodic parts and great vocals in the vein of Deftones or Poison the Well, all while retaining a sound completely their own. Tree Of Tongues takes their progression even further and delivers an overall more cohesive album then their debut. Highly recommended for anyone into the mentioned bands or heavier experimental music with great vocals.




General Lee-Raiders Of The Evil Eye
I almost didn't pick up this record, or even listen to it for that matter. I have a couple of their older releases and was not impressed with their work. But after being highly recommended by a couple of my fellow Last.fm friends with awesome musical taste, I though I'd give a go. Boy am I glad I did. This album surpasses their any of their previous work by far. Raiders Of The Evil Eye is a great mix of atmospheric, post-metal with hints of sludge influences. This album changed my mind so much about this band that I need to go back to their earlier work and re-listen to see if I just wasn't getting it before. Overall, it's a great release worthy of top ten.




Gifts From Enola-A Healthy Fear
My favorite post-rockers Gifts From Enola are back and again have found their way into my top ten list. This album is different beast though now with the addition of vocals to the mix. I was a little apprehensive at first, but upon further listening, I find that the vocals are a perfect fit to their already amazing sound. Not that don't think their earlier work needs any improvement, but I now wonder what it might've sounded like with vocals. Either way, I look forward to hearing more. Easily the best post-rock album of 2012.




Hypno5e-Acid Mist Tomorrow
I had no clue who these guys were, let alone would've picked up this album if I had not been completely blown away by their live show. They were the opening band for an Exotic Animal Petting Zoo and Arsonists Get All The Girls show that I attended earlier this last summer. This 3 piece band from France has two 7 string guitarists (no bassist) and a drummer who also runs samples and loops through a MacBook placed beside his kit. Their music is extremely technical and progressive yet methodical and organized. I will attest to the fact that they can pull off everything you hear on this album live as well. One of the tightest bands I have ever seen.




Narrows-Painted
If the idea of members of Botch and These Arms Are Snakes together in the same band sounds awesome and promising, well you're right. Narrows is exactly that, awesome and promising. Their 2009 album, New Distances showed us a glimpse of what this band is capable of. Jump forward to this year's Painted, Narrows takes their sound and dials up the same hardcore intensity in a more fluid package that will keep you banging your head from the opening track until the last. My only qualm is that it could've been a little longer in length. I often find myself listening to it twice in a row just to satisfy my craving. Nevertheless, Painted is great and highly recommended to any fan of the hardcore genre.




Pigs-You Ruin Everything
Here's the curveball of this list. I saw this one all over the music blogs and decided to give it a spin. Normally I'm not too into the whole noise rock genre but this one is different. Pigs are a 3 piece band from New York consisting of Dave Curran, the bassist from Unsane (who I've been listening to a lot of lately). You Ruin Everything combines the mentioned "noise rock" with hints of rock, punk, metal, & sludge with great raspy vocals built into catchy song structures. I'm glad that I discovered these guys and gave this gem a listen. I hope to hear more from them in the future.




Torche-Harmonicraft
Here's another one that is probably no surprise to most of you who know me and my love for this band. From what I've read in most reviews of this album, people are disappointed with the departure of their stoner, sludge-ish sound of their earlier work to the present poppy and catchy sound of Harmonicraft. For me, that's what I love about them and this album in particular. Torche has a knack for writing heavy songs that are catchy as hell. Every one I've showed this album to can appreciate it, whether they're a metalhead, rocker, pop fan or whatever, it's approachable by all music lovers. It's probably my favorite release of 2012.


Other Greats*
*(Not quite top ten)




The Chariot-One Wing
These guys are kinda hit and miss with me. This one's definitely a hit.




Deftones-Koi No Yokan
Another great release from these guys. A lot better than Diamond Eyes in my opinion. Still a few too many filler tracks to crack the top ten though.




Enabler-All Hail The Void
This was one of my favorite hardcore albums this year. Fast, heavy, and pissed off. If you dug the new Converge, you'll for sure dig this one.




Gaza-No Absolutes In Human Suffering
Another great hardcore album. I was heavily anticipating the release of this and was not disappointed with it.




Ironhorse-Dragged Down A Dead End Path
I didn't realize how many good hardcore albums were released this year. Here's another one featuring the badass drummer Gordon Koch from Black Sleep of Kali. Hints of metal, sludge, and grind. When I got this album they were called Ironhorse, I guess they changed their name to Call of the Void now.




Mark Lanegan-Funeral Blues
I love this guy's raspy Tom Waits-like voice and delivery. This is his best work since 2004's Bubblegum.




The Mars Volta-Noctourniquet
I kind of lost it for this band for a while. It seems like lately they were more focused on experimentation and needless, multi-tracked guitar noodling. Noctourniquet has a lot cleaner and more structured song-writing. I am not a huge fan of their new drummer, Deantoni Parks though. Even though he's a good drummer, I think his approach is a little stale. This band's music calls for the spastic style that Jon Theodore and Thomas Pridgen brought to the table.




Murder by Death-Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
Not their best album, however, another solid release from one of my favorite indie bands.




Obsidian Kingdom-Mantiis
Don't let the black metal, or experimantal death metal tags on Last.fm scare you away from this great album. Other than maybe a hint in the vocals, I don't think those tags apply at all. This is an awesome release. Check it out for yourself free @ http://obsidiankingdom.bandcamp.com/




Omotai-Terrestrial Grief
This one came out of nowhere. Completely random find crusing around on Bandcamp one day. Well-written progressive, heavy rock with hardcore and sludge influences. Another freebie @ http://omotai.bandcamp.com/album/terrestrial-grief. You might throw them a few bucks though, it's totally worth it.




Pile-Dripping
Boston's Pile have taking the angst out of the metal genre and inserting into their blend of grunge, indie and alternative music for a while now. If you're a fan of 90's era rock with a little vocal aggression, you need to check out Pile. Their 2010 release, Magic Isn't Real is available free @ http://pile.bandcamp.com/album/magic-isnt-real




Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster-Exegesis
This was in my top ten at one point. Think Tool, meets Isis, Pelican, and Rosetta at a party, has an orgy, gets pregnant, and this is the baby. The overall length, clocking in at over an hour, was eventually what knocked it out of the exclusive top ten. Some songs get a little repetitive because of the length. Nevertheless, this is a great listen for any fan of the mentioned bands.


Good, not great*
*worth mentioning


Abraham-The Serpent, The Prophet, & The Whore (Sludge, Post-Metal)

Appollonia-Crimson Skies (Post-Metal)

Arms of Ra-Unnamed (Sludge)

Ash of Nubia-Medemia Argun (Post-Rock, Instrumental Rock)

Aside from a Day-Chasing Shadows (Post-Metal, Alt. Metal)

Astralia-Astralia (Post-Rock)

Baroness-Yellow & Green (Sludge, Alt. Metal)

Bats-The Sleep Of Reason (Post-Hardcore)

Black Breath-Sentenced To Life (Hardcore)

Black Sheep Wall-No Matter Where It Ends (Sludge, Hardcore)

The Blue Letter-Love Is Not Control (Post-Hardcore)

Bone Dance-Bone Dance (Hardcore)

Caspian-Waking Season (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

City of Wolves-City Of Wolves (Post-Metal, Post-Rock)

Coilguns-Stadia Rods (Hardcore)

Divers On The Moon-Aligned Lights (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

Dysrhythmia-Test Of Submission (Instrumental Metal, Progressive)

Earthburner-Stoned At Birth (Hardcore)

Earthrise-Eras Lost (Sludge, Post-Metal)

El Ten Eleven-Transitions (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

The End of Six Thousand Years-Perpetuum (Hardcore, Sludge)

Fang Island-Major (Noise Rock, Experimental)

Follow the White Rabbit-Endorphia (Hardcore, Experimental)

Ghosts Of Glaciers-Ghost Of Glaciers (Post-Metal, Instrumental)

Hannibal Montana-Martial Arts In The Time Of Firearms (Instrumental Rock, Experimental)

High on Fire-De Vermis Mysteriis (Stoner, Metal)

If These Trees Could Talk-Red Forest (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

Kylesa-From The Vaults: Vol 1 (Sludge, Alt. Metal)

La Mar-La Mar (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

Ladder Devils-Nowhere Plans (Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock)

Latitudes-Individuation (Sludge, Post-Metal)

Minus the Bear-Infinity Overhead (Indie Rock)

Muse-2nd Law (Rock)

Mutiny On the Bounty-Trials (Post-Hardcore)

The Ocean Doesn't Want Me-As The Dust Settles (Post-Metal, Experimental)

Pariso-Nothing Beyond Everything After (Hardcore)

The Samuel Jackson Five-The Samuel Jackson Five (Post-Rock)

The Shins-Port Of Morrow (Indie Rock)

Silversun Pickups-Neck Of The Woods (Indie Rock)

Soundgarden-King Animal (Rock, Grunge)

Tharsis They-Ominous Silence (Hardcore)

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza-Danda IIII:The Alpha, The Omega (Hardcore, Progressive, Experimental)

Toundra-III (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

Town Portal-Chronopoly (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

Whales and Aurora-Blame & Aging (Sludge, Post-Metal)

What the Blood Revealed-Harbour Of Devils (Post-Rock, Instrumental)

X SUNS-X Suns (Post Rock, Instrumental)

Xozo-Farsight (Hardcore)

Young and in the Way- Amen (Hardcore)

Zebras-Zebras (Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock, Experimental

Disappointments*
*total letdowns (turds)

Band of Horses-Mirage Rock (Indie)
I really dig everything this band released up to this point. This album however is boring, un-inventive, and fell flat to their previous work.

Circle Takes the Square-Decomositions: Vol. 1 (Hardcore)
This band waited eight long years to release another full-length and this is what they gave us? The only decent songs were already released on their 4 song EP last year. Total letdown.

Every Time I Die-Ex Lives (Hardcore)
Another band that's hit and miss with me. 2010's New Junk Aesthetic was really good, but I didn't like this one. At least they're consistent with hittin' & missin'.

Khoma-All Erodes (Post-Metal, Sludge [influenced])
I don't think this band can ever come close to the brilliance of their 2006 The Second Wave album. This one is boring.

Maps & Atlases-Beware And Be Careful (Indie Rock)
Here's another band I wonder to myself, "What the hell happened to these guys?" Every album brings them further away from the awesome, spastic, math-rock sound they had on their first couple of releases.

Maserati-Maserati VII (Post-Rock)
This band has not been the same caliber of band they were before the death of their drummer Jerry Fuchs. It's sad too, they were one of my favorite post-rock bands for a while.

Pulled Apart By Horses-Tough Love (Post-Hardcore)
It must be the sophomore slump. Their first, self-tilted album nearly cracked my top ten list for 2010, this one just isn't that memorable.

Well that concludes my list of albums for 2012. Overall, it was an awesome year. There were lots of great new albums, new discoveries and comebacks. As always, your shouts, comments, arguments, and hate mail is welcome. Hope you find something you like. And feel free to recommend something I may have missed out on. Here's to a great 2013.

Godfather of the world music and unquestioned sitar master passed away at 92 (12.12.12).
Remember, there would be no "Norwegian Wood" by the Beatles or "Paint It Black" by Rolling Stones without his influence.







Thank you for your music, Ravi Shankar.

Godfather of the world music and unquestioned sitar master passed away at 92 (12.12.12).
Remember, there would be no "Norwegian Wood" by the Beatles or "Paint It Black" by Rolling Stones without his influence.







Thank you for your music, Ravi Shankar.