My 2012 Best to Worst Album and EP list

Albums

1. Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pandora’s Piñata – Symphonic Avant-garde Metal
2. Gojira – L’Enfant Sauvage – Progressive Death Metal
3. Meshuggah – Koloss – Extreme Metal
4. Sybreed – God is an Automation – Progressive Industrial Metal
5. High On Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis – Sludge Metal
6. Between The Buried And Me – The Parallax II: Future Sequence – Progressive Metal
7. The Devin Townsend Project – Epicloud – Pop Metal
8. Nile – At The Gates Of Sethu – Death Metal
9. Cannibal Corpse – Torture – Death Metal
10. Storm Corrosion – Storm corrosion – Ambient / Avant-Garde
11. Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol – Doom Metal
12. The Algorithm – Polymorphic Code – Glitch/Electronic Metal
13. Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity -Deathgrind
14. Breaking Orbit – The Time Traveller – Progressive Rock
15. Cancer Bats – Dead Set On Living – Hardcore Punk
16. Klone – The Dreamer’s Hideaway – Progressive Metal
17. Murder Contructs – Results – Deathgrind
18. Blut Aus Nord – 777 – Cosmosophy – Avant-garde Black Metal
19. Deftones – Koi No Yokan – Alternative Metal
20. Infected Mushroom – Army of Mushrooms – Psytrance/DnB
21. Anathema  – Weather Systems – Progressive rock
22. Igorrr – Hallelujah – Experimental/Breakcore
23. Kayla Scintilla – Dance The Spiral Never Ending – Psytrance
24. Pig Destroyer – Book Burner – Grindcore
25. In The Silence – A Fair Dream Gone Mad – Progressive Metal
26. The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet – Alternative rock
27. Katatonia – Dead End Kings – Progessive Metal
28. Twelve Foot Ninja – Silent Machine – Progressive Rock
29. Enslaved – RIITIIR – Progressive Black Metal
30. Ihsahn – Eremita – Progressive Metal
31. OM – Advaitic Songs – Doom Metal
32. Anaal Nathrakh – Vanitas – Industrial Blackgrind
33. Jeff Loomis – Plains Of Oblivion – Progressive Metal
34. Sigur Ros – Valtari – Ambient
35. Napalm Death – Utilitarian – Deathgrind
36. Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme – Brutal Death Metal
37. The Faceless – Autotheism – Progressive Death Metal
38. Monuments – Gnosis – Djent
39. Jack White – Blunderbuss – Rock / Blues
40. Fear Factory – The Industrialist – Industrial Metal
41. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza – Mathcore
42. The Contortionist – Intrinsic – Progressive Metal
43. Panzerballett – Tank Goodness – Jazz Metal
44. Trepalium – H.N.P. – Progressive Death Metal
45. Cryptopsy – Cryptopsy – Technical Death Metal
46. Angelus Apartrida – The Call – Thrash Metal
47. Orange Goblin – Eulogy For The Damned – Stoner Metal
48. Air – Le Voyage Dans La Lune – Ambient Electronica
49. Gorod – A Perfect Absolution – Technical Death Metal
50. Dethkolk – Dethalbum III – Death Metal
51. Incoming Cerebral Overdrive – Le Stelle: A Voyage Adrift – Post-Hardcore
52. A Forest Of Stars – A Shadowplay for Yesterdays – Progressive Black Metal
53. Aeon – Aeons Black – Death Metal
54. Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind – Progressive Hardcore
55. Periphery – Periphery II: This time it’s personal – Progressive Metal
56. Neurosis – Honor Found In Decay – Post-Metal
57. Job for a cowboy – Democracy – Death Metal
58. Psycroptic – The Inherited Repression – Technical Death Metal
59. Illdisposed – Sense The Darkness – Death Metal
60. Silversun Pickups – Neck Of The Woods – Indie Rock
61. Skyharbor – Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos – Progressive Metal
62. Mnemic – Mnemesis – Industrial Metal
63. Wintersun – Time I
64. Aborted – Global Flatline – Technical Death metal
65. Norse – All Is Mist And Fog – Black Metal
66. Sabaton – Carolus Rex – Power Metal
67. Ex Deo – Caligvla – Death Metal
68. Hour of Penance -  Sedition – Technical Death Metal
69. The Machine – Calmer Than You Are – psychedelic stoner rock
70. Swallow The Sun – Emerald Forest And The Blackbird – Doom Metal
71. Rush – Clockwork Angels – Progressive Rock
72. Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Octopus Kool Aid – Experimental
73. Waning – The Human Condition – Black Metal
74. Torche – Harmonicraft – Progressive Sludge Metal
75. Les Discrets – Ariettes Oubliees – Shoegaze / Post-Rock
76. Diabulus in musica – The Wanderer – Symphonic Metal
77. Kontrust – Second Hand Wonderland – Crossover
78. Bilocate – Summoning The Bygones – Doom/Death Metal
79. Sear Bliss – Eternal Recurrence – Progressive Black Metal
80. Atoma – Skylight – Progressive Metal
81. The HAARP Machine – Disclosure – Progressive Death Metal
82. Be’lakor – Of Breath and Bone – Melodic Death Metal
83. Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Saber, Querer, Osar y Callar – Experimental
84. Delain – We are the Others -  Symphonic Metal
85. Arkaik – Metamorphigntion – Technical Death Metal
86. Miseration – Tragedy has spoken – Death Metal
87. Der Weg Einer Friheit – Unstille – Black Metal
88. Buckethead – Balloon Cement – Experimental
89. Wood of Ypes – Woods V: Grey Skies & Electric Light – Doom Metal
90. Ahab – The Giant – Funeral Doom Metal
91. Candlemass – Psalms for the Dead – Doom Metal
92. Crippled Black Phoenix – (Mankind) The Crafty Ape – Progressive Rock
93. Kreator – Phantom Antichrist – Thrash Metal
94. Ne Obliviscaris – Portal Of I – Black Metal
95. In Mourning – Weight Of Oceans – Progressive Death Metal
96. The Levitation Hex – The Levitation Hex – Progressive Death Metal
97. Circa Survive – Violent Waves – Alternative Rock
98. Die Antwoord – Ten$ion – Alternative Rap
99. The Melvins – Freak Puke – Alternative Metal
100. Allegaeon – Formshifter – Progressive Death Metal
101. Suspyre – Suspyre – Progressive Power Metal
102. Killing Joke – MMXII – Alternative Rock
103. Jesus Ain’t In Poland – Freiheit Macht Frei – Grindcore
104. Cloudkicker – Fade – Progressive Metal
105. Dir en grey – Uboboros  [Remastered & Expanded] – Progressive Metal
106. Epica – Requiem For The Indifferent – Symphonic Metal
107. Borknagar – Urd – Progressive Black Metal
108. Ahent – Inheritance – Progressive Metal
109. Galahad – Battle Scars – Progressive Rock
110. Outcast – Awaken the Reason – Technical Death Metal
111. Astra – The Black Chord – Psychedelic Progressive Rock
112. Amon – Liar In Wait – Brutal Death Metal
113. Testament – Dark Roots Of Earth – Thrash Metal
114. Eprom – Metahuman – Electronic
115. Necrovation – Necrovation – Death Metal
116. Unipolar Manic-Depressive Psychosis – Psychodelicus Decibeli – Progressive Metal
117. Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody – Ascending To Infinity – Power Metal
118. Vergeltung – Exploration Of Space – Cyber Metal
119. Eluveitie – Helvetios – Folk Metal
120. Process Of Guilt – Fæmin – Doom Metal
121. Crystal Castles – (III ) – Experimental Electronic
122. Asphyx – Deathhammer – Old School Death Metal
123. Moonspell – Alpha Noir – Progressive Death
124. Rings of Saturn – Dingir – Technical Dethcore
125. Gazpacho – March of Ghosts – Progressive Rock
126. Prong – Carved Into Stone – Groove Metal
127. Jodis – Black Curtain – Shoegaze/Post-Rock
128. Stam1na – Nocebo – Progressive Metal
129. Old Man Gloom – NO – Sludge/Doom Metal
130. Mgla – With Hearts Towards None – Progressive Black Metal
131. Children Collide – Monuments – Indie Rock
132. Beneath the Massacre – Incongruous – Technical Death Metal
133. Taproot – The Episodes – Nu-Metal
134. Alcest – Les Voyages De L’Âme – Ambient Black Metal
135. Enochain Theory – Life…And All It Entails – Progressive Rock
136. DrDoom – Everyone Is Guilty – Deathgrind
137. The Shins – Port Of Morrow – Indie Rock
138. The Foreshadowing -Second World – Doom Metal
139. Hooded Menace – Effigies Of Evil – Death Doom
140. Heidevolk – Batavi – Folk Metal
141. Moonspell – Omega White – Progressive Death
142. Deadmau5 – > album title goes here < – Progressive House
143. Zonaria – Arrival of the Red Sun – Melodic Death Metal
144. Spawn of Possession – Incursion – Technical Death Metal
145. Bend the Sky – Origins – Progressive Metal
146. Bloc Party – Four – Indie Rock
147. Odium – Burning The Bridges To Nowhere – Melodic Death Metal
148. Secrets of the Moon – Seven Bells – Black Metal
149. Azaghal – Nemesis – Black Metal
150. Thee Orakle – Smooth Comforts False – Progressive Death
151. Becoming the Archetype – I Am – Progressive Dethcore
152. Pathology – The Time of Great Purification – Brutal Death Metal
153. Hypno5e – Acid Mist Tomorrow – Mathcore
154. Hail Spirit Noir – Pneuma – Black Metal
155. Beyond Terror Beyond Grace – Nadir – Grindcore
156. Circus Maximums – Nine – Progressive Metal
157. Lacuna Coil – Dark Adrenaline – Alternative Metal
158. Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar – DnB / Dubstep
159. Pseudogod – Deathwomb Catechesis – Blackened Death Metal
160. Beyond The Bridge – The Old Man And The Spirit – Progressive Rock
161. Kobra and The Lotus – Kobra and The Lotus – Power Metal
162. Ørkenkjøtt – Ønskediktet – Progressive Extreme Metal
163. Ensiferum – Unsung Heroes – Viking Metal
164. Pandemonium – Misanthropy – Black Metal
165. Engel – Blood of Saints – Industrial / Metalcore
166. Dawnbringer – Into The Lair Of The Sun God – Heavy Metal
167. Onirophagus – Defiler Of Hope – Death Doom Metal
168. Boys Noize – Out Of The Black – EDM
169. God Forbid – Equilibrium – Groove Metal
170. Dissona – Dissona – Progressive Metal
171. The Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania – Alternative Rock
172. Black Sheep Wall – No Matter Where it Ends – Doom Metal
173. Lamb of God – Resolution – Groove Metal
174. Baroness – Yellow & Green – Progressive Rock
175. Catamenia – The Rewritten Chapters – Black Metal
176. Savage Messiah – Plague Of Conscience – Thrash Metal
177. Rise To Fall – Defying the Gods – Melodic Death Metal
178. Drudkh – Eternal Turn Of Wheel – Black Metal
179. Exilia – Decode – Nu-Metal
180. Goatwhore – Blood For The Master – Groove Metal
181. Coheed and Cambria – The Afterman: Ascension – Alternative Rock
182. Lonewolf – Army Of The Damned – Heavy Metal
183. Masachist – Scorned – Death Metal
184. Casketgarden – The Enstrangement Process – Melodic Death Thrash
185. Shadows Fall – Fire From The Sky – Groove Metal
186. Muse – The 2nd Law – Alternative Rock
187. Barren Earth – The Devil’s Resolve – Progressive metal
188. Accept – Stalingrad – Power Metal
189. Enthroned – Obsidium – Black metal
190. Avatar – Black Waltz  - Progressive Death Metal
191. 3 Inches Of Blood – Long Live Heavy Metal – Traditional Metal
192. Dirge Within – There Will Be Blood – Groove Metal
193. Unleashed – Odalheim – Death / Trash Metal
194. Glass Cloud – The Royal Thousand – Metalcore
195. Dawn Of Demise – Rejoice In Vengeance – Brutal Death Metal
196. Aura Noir – Out to Die – Thrash Metal
197. Threshold – March Of Progress – Progressive Power Metal
198. Sylosis – Monolith – Metalcore
199. Gallows – Gallows – Punk
200. Ministry – Relapse – Industrial
201. Korpiklaani – Manala – Folk Metal
202. Xandria – Neverworld’s End – Symphonic Metal
203. Rob Zombie – Mondo Sex Head – Electronic
204. Putrid Pile – Blood Fetish – Brutal Death Metal
205. Municipal Waste – The Fatal Feast – Crossover Thrash
206. The Presets – Pacifica – Electronica
207. Unisonic – Unisonic – Power Metal
208. Sigh – In Somniphobia – Black Metal
209. Suicidal Angels – Bloodbath – Thrash Metal
210. Impiety – Ravage & Conquer – Black Metal
211. The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation – Egor – Ambient Doom Jazz
212. Hellyeah – Band of Brothers – Southern Groove Metal
213. Brendan Small  – Galaktikon – Power Metal
214. Dario Mollo & Tony Martin – The Third Cage – Rock
215. Sonata Arctica – Stones Grow Her Name – Power Metal
216. Cailba – I am Nemesis – Metalcore
217. Soulfly – Enslaved – Nu-metal
218. The Agonist – Prisoners – Metalcore
219. The Word Alive – Life Cycles – Post-Hardcore
220. Dragonforce – The Power Within – Power Metal
221. Whitechapel – Whitechapel – Dethcore
222. Lay down rotton – Mask of Malice – Death Metal
223. Pallbeaer – Sorrow And Extinction – Doom Metal
224. Serj Tankian – Harakiri – Alternative Rock
225. John 5 – God Told Me To – Instrumental Rock
226. Glass Cloud – The Royal Thousand – Metalcore
227. Architects – Daybreaker – Metalcore
228. Lethian Dreams – Season of Raven Words
229. Running Wild – Shadowmaker – Pirate Metal
230. Soulfallen – The Promise of Hell – Melodic Death Metal
231. Lunar Aurora – Hoagascht – Black Metal
232. Make Them Suffer – Neverbloom – Dethcore
233. Before the Dawn – Rise of the Phoenix – Melodic Death metal
234.  Adrenaline Mob – Omerta – Heavy Metal
235. Dark Princess – The World I’ve Lost – Gothic Metal
236. Dreamscape – Everlight – Power Metal
237. Zedd – Clarity – EDM
238. Huntress – Spell Eater – Power Metal
239. Cradle Of Filth – Midnight In The Labyrinth – Symphonic
240. Six Feet Under – Undead – Death Metal
241. Terrorizer – Horde of Zombies – Death Metal
242. Nothnegal – Decadence – Melodic Death Metal
243. Marilyn Manson – Born Villian – Alternative Metal
244. Linkin Park – Living Things – Alternative Rock
245. Silent Descent – Mind Games – Electro Metal
246. The Word Alive – Life Cycles – Metalcore
247. Disfiguring the Godless – Sleeper – Brutal Death Metal
248. Lana Lane – El Dorado Hotel – Symphonic Metal
249. Parkway Drive – Atlas – Metalcore
250. Abigail Williams – Becoming – Black Metal
251. Exxila – Decode – Nu-Metal
252. Morbid Angel – Illud Divinum Insanus – The Remixes – Industrial
253. Abominable Putridity – The Anomalies of Artificial Origin – Brutal Death Metal
254. The Amity Affliction – Chasing Ghosts – Post-Hardcore
255. The Devastated – Devil’s Messenger – Dethcore
256. Impending Doom – Baptised in Filth -Dethcore
257. Dreamcatcher – Emerging from the shadows
258. Zero Hour – Dementia – Trance ‘metal’
259. Kraanium – Post Mortal Coital – Brutal Death metal

EP’s

1. Trioscapes – Separate Realities – Experimental Jazz
2. Hacktivist – Hacktivist – Rap Djent
3. David Maxim Micic – Bilo 2.0 – Experimental Djent
4. T.R.A.M – Lingua Franca – Experimental Jazz
5. Deathspell Omega – Drought – Math Black Metal
6. Blut Aus Nord -  – Avant-garde Black Metal
7. TesseracT – Perspective – Progressive rock
8. Dawn Of Demntia – Residuum - Brutal Death Metal
9. Sydonia – Waiting For Words That Don’t Exist
10. Dark Tranquillity – Zero Distance – Progressive Metal
11. Deadmau5 – The Veldt – Progressive House
12. Overwerk – After Hours – EDM
13. Chimp Spanner – All Roads Lead Here – Progressive Metal
14. Far Too Loud – Firestorm – Fidget/Dubstep
15. Revocation – Teratogenesis – Thrash Metal
16. D.I.M – Living In Advance – EDM
17. Kill The Noise – Black Magic – EDM
18. Knife Party – Rage Valley – Drum and Step/ Dubstep
19. Zomboy – The Dead Symphonic – EDM/Dubstep
20. Shining – Lots Of Girls Gonna Get Hurt – Black Metal
21. Neurotech – Decipher Vol. 1 – Cyber Metal
22. Jack Beats – Careless – EDM
23. Nick Thayer – Like Boom – Electro House
24. Tortured Sould – End Of Dreams – Death Metal
25. Birdy Nam Nam – Jaded Future – Electro House
26. Dream – This Isn’t House – Electronic
27. Exotype – Emerge – Dubstep Metal
28. Chelsea Grin – Evolve – Dethcore

 

Glorified Karaoke

If you are like me, you are completely sick of the countless ‘Reality’ shows, that make pop stars, The Voice, X Factor, Idol; That just pump out generic artist after generic artist, and are responsible for some of the worst ‘artists’ to come onto the world stage, yes I am talking about that group of fake boys that sing about taking advantage of insecure girls.

The whole concept of these shows are flawed, if they are not going to perform their own music each week, you become a shell of a real artist, known for performing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah really well, or a good impression of lady gaga, who knows, but do you see the problem? You do well for imitating an artist, not becoming your own artist, music to me is best, when pushing the boundaries of what we know about sound, being different, being creative and unique. This is why I believe the art of the writing process takes more talent than performing said song.

How to fix this model? Well it is simple, don’t be a glorified Karaoke show and get your artists to write and perform an original song each week, sure this can be just a singing show, but we need to get out of the ‘singer is the only person that is important’ mindset, and have actual bands performing each week…wow that would be awesome wouldn’t it? I know a lot of governments and people keep on saying that we need more Australian music, we need bands, If you have a show where bands perform each week and have maybe a final 10. That is 10 Australian bands that is getting massive attention, whom each will have an album under-way, and if they get eliminated, give them resources to finish said album. By the end of the show you will have 10 different albums by 10 different bands. At 5-pieces a band, that is 50 people you have helped get their music careers afloat.

I think this is the kind of show people want to watch instead of the current tripe, people are not stupid they see that the current shows are a record company trying to make a quick buck on the success of the ‘cookie-cutter artist’ they just created, but having original bands playing original songs..that is something people want.

Patrick’s 2012 music awards.

Best Death Metal Album:

Gojira – L’Enfant Sauvage, This album was so close to being the Album of the year for me, the decision was the hardest decision I have had to make writing my 2012 list, however some may debate that this album is actually death metal, but I believe it is. The album is brilliant from start to finish, chunky riffs that make the hairs on my arms stick up ever single time I listen to it and beautifully arranged songs that make this the greatest Death Metal album of this year

Best Black Metal Album:

Blut Aus Nord – 777 – Cosmosophy, this year I have felt there has been few stand out Black Metal albums, however one stands above them all, that is Blut Aus Nord’s conclusion of the 777 trilogy, over the last 18 or so months they have released a trilogy of albums that has boggled the minds of metalheads, the twisted, dark and grim atmosphere to these albums is what has attracted me and kept me coming back, the sound-scape that Blut Aus Nord creates is unmatched in modern metal and should be a lesson to any atmosphere obsessed fans.

Best Progressive Metal Album:

Between The Buried And Me – The Parallax II: Future Sequence, For years I have thought of BTBAM as a mediocre Metalcore band, mainly due to the name, if a band name is a sentence I usually stay away, however this year I decided to forego my previous rule and give them a serious listen..and boy was It worth it, this album is amazing. As they were a metalcore band they have cut all ties with that genre and become a behemoth in the Progressive Metal scene.

Best Progressive Rock Album:

Breaking Orbit – The Time Traveller, Breaking Orbit is a progressive rock band, out of the Australian progressive rock scene, the scene I feel that Australia should be most proud of with countless amazing bands coming out of it, with little mainstream recognition. This debut album is fantastic from start to finish, the use of some world music elements only help to build the solid progressive foundation that it masters, mixed with amazing drumming, beautiful spacing and crushing riffs makes this the greatest progressive rock album of 2012.

Best Sludge/Doom Metal Album:

High On Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis, for anyone that is a follower of Sludge, Stoner or Doom, this should come at no surprise, with Matt Pike at the helm, this band can do no wrong, each album is better than the last and I had the pleasure of seeing them perform live this year. This album is raw and beautiful, with riffs that make you want to get up and headbang. All I can say is, you really need to listen to this album if you have not before.

Best Grindcore Album:

Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity, this album is by far the best Cattle Decapitation album to date, the fury and brutality is unmatchable. This album made me think of this genre in a completely different way, and helped me open up to a lot more Grindcore and I thank this album for doing that, because I would have missed out on a lot of great albums form my pre-dismissions of the genre.

Best Indie Rock Album:

Silversun Pickups – Neck Of The Woods , This album came out of nowhere for me, I had not heard this band before, the drummer, I find is the best drummer I have ever heard in a Indie Rock band, the signer is brilliant without being too whiney, the phrasing of the songs on the album are brilliant, which makes it the best Indie Rock album of the year.

Best Ambient Album:

Storm Corrosion – Storm corrosion, This group is the brain child of two people that were destined to create an album together, unfortunately it looks to be a one time occurrence, however this album is an Ambient masterpiece, the textures are beautiful and the whole album I can lay on my bed and get lost in atmosphere that only music could convey.

Best Electronic Album:

The Algorithm – Polymorphic Code I have been listening to The Algorithm since it’s conception, however this is the French man’s debut album…and what a debut, the whole album is riddled with glitch glory that I have grown to adore, and being a Computer Scientist, I get a kick out of the song titles and themes.

Best Electronic Dance Album:

Infected Mushroom – Army of Mushrooms , Army of Mushrooms marked a change in Infected Mushroom’s sound, they went from very Psytrance root to a more Drum and Bass/Dubstep sound however keeping a bit of Psytance along the way, this makes them a stand out mature act in the scene, this album is fantastic, extremely unique and full of energy, this is why it is the best EDM album of 2012.

Best Experimental Album:

Igorrr – Hallelujah, Ahhh Igorrr, you odd motherfucker, back with another album that is amazing, and the sole reason why I kept off writing my 2012 list until now, his latest album was released on 21/12/12 for obvious reasons. The album is filled with oddity and craziness yet being very coherent in a nice package, most of all it is a fun album one I can just put on and confuse most people. This is why it is the Experimental album of 2012.

Best Debut Album:

In The Silence – A Fair Dream Gone Mad, This band came out of absolutely nowhere, they are a bandcamp band that I discovered recently, they take a lot of inspiration from one of my favourite bands, Katatonia, however not to the point where they rip-off them. This album is just phenomenal that will probably be just a blip on the screen, so please do yourself a favour and check it out on bandcamp.

Best Djent Album:

Monuments – Gnosis, I know what you are going to say, ‘Djent’ isn’t a genre, how can it have it’s own category, it’s just a off-shoot of Progressive Metal, well the whole Progressive Metal genre is currently well over-crowded so it doesn’t hurt breaking it up a bit. But this album is by what I call the world’s bounciest band, this album is groovy as fuck that I just can’t stop bouncing too, it is infectious.

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album:

Die Antwoord – Ten$ion, Yes I give rap a chance, I can’t dismiss a whole genre from the little amount of enjoyable music it has produced, one being this album, from absoultely outrageous Die Antwoord. Their music is just so in your face and ravey, you just can’t help but like it, as for the rapping both are fantastic however I prefer Yo-Landi (female), with her high pitch take on it.

Best Power Metal Album

Sabaton – Carolus Rex , I am no stretch of the imagination a fan of Power Metal, however from all of the Power Metal albums I have listened to this year, this is by far the best. Sabaton are extremely cheesy and very over the top like all power metal bands, they just do it in some other way that I fail to put my finger on. But I can hounestly say this is the first Power Metal album I have enjoyed cover to cover.

The Biggest Metal News Of 2012:

Randy Blythe gets charged with Manslaughter, This news shocked a lot of metalheads around the globe, a band as big as Lamb Of God’s lead singer getting charged of the manslaughter of a 19 year old Czech teenager, by throwing him back into the crowd, which he received injuries from and died later in hospital later. Blythe has been formally Indicted of the charges and facing trail in the Czech Republic on February the 4th, 2013.

Best Live Gig:

Between The Buried And Me & Animals As Leaders 17th of Nov 2012, Metro Theatre, Sydney, I have not attended many gigs this year as I would have liked due to my final year of uni commitment, however this gig was the best I have been to this year. Both bands performed amazingly that words cannot describe, all I can say is, I wish I was still there.

‘What the fuck that is actually good?’ Award: Best album that I did not expect

Cancer Bats – Dead Set On Living, Holy shit this album came out of nowhere and landed on my lap, Cancer Bats, when I gave it a chance this was my thought pattern “I have heard the name before, sounds like a crap band…but hey they are looking to be performing in Australia soon, I guess I will give it a listen….how haven’t I listened to this band before, oh they are Hardcore Punk..a genre that I have never really given a chance in the past. However they say they are hardcore punk, but a lot of it sounds metal, but still I get the hardcore part…but it’s not metalcore”. This is where I came to the realisation this is Metalcore…this is what Metalcore should be.

Worst Album Of The Year:

Kraanium – Post Mortal Coital, The worst album this year, don’t get me wrong I love brutal/slam death metal…but this album is just utter crap, a good slam death metal band needs groove (for example: Dying Fetus) it needs some substance not just chunky guitar, gargle vocals, chunky guitar, gargle vocals, chunky guitar, if you took the distortion off the guitar it would probably sound like twinkle, twinkle little star. This is the music that gives Death Metal a bad name, which pisses me the fuck off. If you are going to write music like this…don’t bother, we already have it.

‘Why do people like that?’ Award: The album everyone seems to like that I hate

The Amity Affliction – Chasing Ghosts, I save you the trouble of listening to this album, here it is, Screamy vocals, Bass Drop, Awful ‘Blink-182′ Vocals, Breakdown, Rinse and repeat. Why do people keep on getting fooled by this formula music? Who knows, this album hit the top of the charts here in Australia, and it was a huge achivement for the ‘hard scene’ in Australia. Australia really needs to get it’s act together with good heavy music, enough of this Parkway Drive, Northlane bullshit.

Genre of the Year:

Grindcore, Grindcore has been the genre of this year, the amount of amazing albums from this genre is mindblowing, just to name a few, Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity , Murder Contructs – Results, Napalm Death – Utilitarian and Pig Destroyer – Book Burner. For a genre that I have not had much interest before, this year has changed the way I view Grindcore and made it such a enjoyable part of my listening schedule.

EP Of The Year:

Trioscapes – Separate Realities, This is the first music out of this ‘supergroup’ Trioscapes is an Expiremental Jazz band, their music is very similar to another band that released their first music this year ‘T.R.A.M’ However, Serparate Realities is miles better, it’s beautiful sax playing, amazing drumming, and the welcome addition of just a single bass without a guitar turns out to be amazing. Please do yourself the pleasure of listening to this E.P.

Album Of The Year:

Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pandora’s Piñata To come to the Album of the year….This album is completely out this world, it took me 5 hours to actually get through because I was keep on restarting it because I wanted to hear it all again before I actually finished it, I had to fight myself not 10 go back to the start, which was amusing. But this album fuses Swing, Metal, Opera in one flawless package. If you take anything out of this post LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM….let me say that again, if you didn’t hear me the first time..LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM, this album will get overlooked by many people, it’s a shame really, but this is the album of this year, enjoy.

How Oasis and Blur killed the Indie scene.

First off, how did Indie music begin? where did it originate? and who were the ones to first have the sound and attitude? Indie music originated in Britain from the Manchester region, with a band called The Smiths. The Smiths brought this kind of attitude “I’m different to everyone else, but that is ok, it is because I am more intelligent than everyone else” and “Making music for the sake of making music” this attracted very distinct crowd of people, you may refer to them as hipsters now. The Smiths made an impact to mainstream when they appear on a British music show called ‘Top of the Pops’ where they performed (forced to mime) the well know song “This Charming Man”, this completely shocked the audience, from the usual artists like Tina turner and other really over polished garbage that was playing at that time, to a band that were so different to what they have heard. This was the beginning of Indie Music.

The beginning of Indie Music

From this came many other bands, with the same mindset as The Smiths. If you did not have that mindset you were not an indie band as far as I am concerned, well that and intricate creative guitar playing, a good vocalist….and lets face it a bland drummer. Bands that followed included Pixies, Sonic Youth, Primal Scream (Pictured),  and countless of other bands spawning one of the most important music change of the mid 80′s to early 90′s. This is the most admirable thing I find with indie music the attitude of making music for the sake of making music not making music for the paycheck at the end of the week, I find this extremely similar to the current metal scene; those poor ass Metalheads hahaha, all they love is banging their head, however this is what makes good music. But then came the dark days of Indie Music…Oasis and Blur were spawned.

Oasis were formed in 1991, they were formally known as ‘The Rain’. Blur formed 3 years earlier in London, however released their first album ‘Leisure’ in 1991. But what could of happened for the bands to kill the mindset of Indie music? In the hype of Blur’s third release ‘Parklife’ and Oasis’s debut of ‘Definitely Maybe’ a division between the two bands came into fruition. The rift between the bands that sound extremely similar that they should be great friend shouldn’t of happened however through sheer arrogance on both sides it did, I always believe an ego is a musicians worst enemy this is reason for that. Now in the big feud how did the bands decide who was the better band? Through first week album sales….Sales?!…nooo. They took a form of music that started off 10 years earlier, that was innocently making music for the sake of making music and that no one was better than anyone else with a ‘just have fun and enjoy the music’ attitude . To finding who was the better band by album charts. That is how Oasis and Blur killed the Indie Scene.

Albums of 2012 I am impatiently waiting for.

Sybreed – God is an Automation

Release Date: September 24th
Genre: Progressive Industrial Metal

Sybreed – God is an Automation is the fourth full-length release from Sybreed, with the other 3 being in my opinion masterpieces. I got into Sybreed 3 years ago while listening to the The Pules Of Awakening an amazing album that is so unique that it blew me off my seat, with it’s electronic chunky-metal fusion. From then I listened to the rest of their discography and was amazed at the amount of musicianship and songwriting that went into every track. At the start of 2012 I missed their tour of Australia very disappointingly, hopefully they will tour down here again once this album is released. They have released a drum and guitar studio diaries, the Album art work is from my favourite artist Seth Siro Anton which you can read here from my own blog. You can listen and learn more about the band here, they are very much worth your time

You can view their first track from the album here

The Faceless – Autotheism

Release Date: August 14th
Genre: Progressive Technical Death Metal

The Faceless – Autotheism is the third full-length release from The Faceless, this album has been long overdue with their last release being four years ago. I discovered The Faceless 5 years ago before their Planetary Duality release, they were on the border of Death Metal and Dethcore at this stage. I loved it however they had the potential to become, how can I put it?…crap. But the Planetary Duality album really dismantled any doubts I had with them, and I love their whole discography. I saw The Faceless in 2009 as part of the Summer Slaughter tour where I also saw Necrophagist, Dying Fetus and Aborted, The Faceless were brilliant. I remember I just stared at the drummer the whole set in amazement. They have two studio reports out, Number 1 and Number 2, there is also a live version of a new song called Deconsecrate which some bit almost sound like Mr Bungle, which makes me very giddy about. The album artwork I have not found out who has made it, I am currently hearing back from the band about that.

You can view the Album’s trailer here

Katatonia – Dead End Kings

Release Date: August 27th
Genre: Alternative Metal

Katatonia – Dead End Kings is the ninth full-length release in the long career of Katatonia. I discovered Katatonia all the way back in 2007 the first song I listened to was ‘My Twin’ off The Great Cold Distance album. After that I was hooked, listening to everything they have ever done and not going a day without listening a couple of songs by them, they are one of the highest played bands in my music collection and I will listen to them until I am in the ground. To date I have not seen them live, which I am hoping will change after this album, I hope they do a headline tour of Australia, one can only dream. The band has an interview on the new album and their upcoming tour of Europe, the artwork is made by Travis Smith who has made their artworks since 1999, you can view all of Travis’s works here

You can view the song Dead Letters from the new album here

Cryptopsy – Cryptopsy

Release Date: September 11th
Genre: Technical Death Metal

Cryptopsy – Cryptopsy is the seventh full-length album by the Canadian Death metal pioneers. I found my self listening to Cryptopsy in 2005 where albums such as None so Vile and Whisper Supremacy became very regular in my listening. Their combination of atypical grooves and chunky ass riffs that you can sink your teeth into made me a fan for life. However…their latest woeful release made me cringe and my respect for the band had gone. Since 2008 when that abomination came out, I did not listen to Cryptopsy very often and then I listened to the new album trailer….Cryptopsy is back and with a vengeance, this made me incredibly happy and made me full of excitement for the new album, however I will have to wait until the album comes out to make a opinion on it. To date I have not seen them live, the artwork is made by Mircea Gabriel Eftemie the Guitarist and Keyboardist from Mnemic whose work can be found here

You can view the trailer from the new album here

Between the Buried and Me – The Parallax II: Future Sequence

Release Date: October 9th
Genre: Progressive Metal

Between the Buried and Me – The Parallax II: Future Sequence is the seventh full-length by the crazy American fuckers. I have only started listening to BTBAM at the start of this year. I was always turned off the idea of listening to them due to their name, sentence long names usally means the band is a shit core band. However I gave them a listen and was dumbfounded at what I heard such progression and technical attributes to the music that made them ridiculously interesting, for anyone that has not listened to them for the same reason, listen to them you will be surprised at what you find. I suggest checking out Alaska and Colours, I have not yet seen them live I am pretty sure they will tour down here soon though, The artwork is made by Chandler Owen whose work can be found here

You can view the song Telos from the new album here

Sydney, Biennale and Jazz

It was a Saturday and I got up around 10am, which is extremely early for me, I had some toast and…missed my bus. I had to grovel to my house mate to give me a lift, which she thankfully did, I just made the train. The next hour and half was spent by listening to Spetic Flesh, The Horrors and Sybreed. Once that was finished I met up with two friends, Georgie and Nuno. We discussed for quite a while what to do, with the typical ‘I’m happy with whatever’ phase coming up more than I can count (around 5). We decided on an adventure to Chinatown, where we got…Thai.After we had finished lunch we ventured into Paddy’s Markets, where I was on a mission to get a zippo lighter, due to watching Mad Men for the weeks prior, the mission was a success. We rummaged through the piles of.. familiar stalls and I found this amazing Black Sabbath shirt, which I got more than excited for, however there was only small sizes, the disappointment was great haha. After a while we left and proceeded to Circular Quay for a ferry to Cockatoo island, we caught a free shuttle bus…didn’t even know Sydney had these..The bus was extremely pack, so much so the bus driver refused to leave until 5 people got off…it took longer than I would of hoped for.

When we arrived at Cicular Quay we were greeted with Trance/Didgeridoo performances.We moved our way to wharf 5 where we were prensented a massive line, this drowned our spirts a bit, but there was a captain cook to keep us company…no…I hated that guy, he was a twat. after about a 20 minute wait we boarded the ferry, a tiny bit later oh no, the Thai did not like the boat…but I was fine, it was a nice 15 minute ride which felt like no time at all, I love being on the water..there is something so peaceful about it. We hopped off the boat at Cockatoo Island and we proceeded to a temporary cafe there..after chasing a couple of Seagulls, we came to the cafe with extremely high prices haha, we discussed were to venture on the island, we decided on going through the tunnel to begin with, through going there was this amazing piece of Art which was called “Untitled [Oysters and Tea Cups]” by Jonathan Jones, it was spewing out of a enclosed hutch. We made our way to the tunnel, it was huge around 500m I estimate, in there was a great light piece that had a strobe effect. Other pieces we saw included a Measeum of sculpted Animal genitalia, that was…interesting, An amazing labyrinth of ropes and paper with hidden art, Gaint Chains and just some indescribable things. We had to leave at 5:30, due that being the last ferry, we did not see as much as we would of like, so I am considering going back one day soon.

From a nice ferry travel we started to head to Georgie’s this involved a trek through UNSW and incredibly steep back streets, but we made it, where we met Georgie’s neighbour Ben. We got ready to go a Jazz club in Surry Hills called 505, we were greeted with modest line, that only took a short while to get inside to find this really nice atmosphere waiting for us, the stage was situated at the front of the venue with the instruments already set up a grand piano, double bass, a drum kit (a little small for my liking) and a guitar. We headed to a table that was a good distance away and pondered the menu, I decided on Nachos, wine, wine and more wine. We waited paitenly for the group to start the group (Manins, Muller, Nock) featured an amazing Australian guitarist called James Muller, so I was excited to see what was in stall for me, the group came on and you could immediately feel the feel of the room change, it was buzzing. The group started with cliche corny talk from the saxaphone, which was quite funny and they went into some fantastic music that was extremely open so each member could show off and stun the crowd, but without a doubt the stand out was Muller whom closed with an amazing solo that blew me off the seat. The band played 2 sets approximately 1 hour for each. After the gig I went and thanked Muller for the great performance. Then we headed off to a pub and had a couple of beers…and I can’t remember the rest of the night. I made a short film of the day which you can view below, also Images used in this post are not mine and entitled to their respective owners.

Albums and EP’s of 2012 so far

These are the Albums and EP’s that have come out this year and Listened to, for albums I would recommend the first 50 and with EP’s I would recommend the first 8, I hope that you enjoy my list

Albums

Gojira – L’Efant Sauvage

1. Gojira – L’Enfant Sauvage – Progressive Death Metal
2. Meshuggah – Koloss – Progressive Metal
3. Storm Corrosion – Storm corrosion – Ambient / Avant -Garde
4. Nile – At The Gates Of Sethu – Death Metal
5. The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet – Progressive rock
6. Cannibal Corpse – Torture – Death Metal
7. Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol – Doom Metal
8. Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity -Deathgrind
9. Infected Mushroom – Army of Mushrooms – Psytrance/DnB
10. Anathema  – Weather Systems – Progressive rock


Meshuggah – Koloss

11. Sigir Ros – Valtari – Ambient
12. Ihsahn – Eremita – Progressive Metal
13. Jeff Loomis – Plains Of Oblivion – Progressive Metal
14. Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme – Brutal Death Metal
15. Jack White – Blunderbuss – Rock / Blues
16. Fear Factory – The Industrialist – Industrial Metal
17. Air – Le Voyage Dans La Lune – Ambient Electronica
18. Periphery – Periphery II: This time it’s personal – Progressive Metal
19. Job for a cowboy – Democracy – Death Metal


Storm Corrosion – Storm Corrosion

20.  Psycroptic – The Inherited Repression – Technical Death Metal
21. Mnemic – Mnemesis – Industrial Metal
22. Aborted – Global Flatline – Technical Death metal
23. Kontrust – Second Hand Wonderland – Crossover
24. Gorod – A Perfect Absolution – Technical Death Metal
25. Sear Bliss – Eternal Recurrence – Progressive Black Metal
26. Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Saber, Querer, Osar y Callar – Experimental
27. Miseration – Tragedy has spoken – Death Metal
28. Candlemass – Psalms for the Dead – Doom Metal


Nile – At The Gates Of Sethu

29. Ne Obliviscaris – Portal Of I – Black Metal
30. Wood of Ypes – Woods V: Grey Skies & Electric Light – Doom Metal
31. Dir en grey – Uboboros  [Remastered & Expanded] – Progressive Metal
32. Hour of Penance -  Sedition – Technical Death Metal
33. Borknagar – Urd – Progressive Black Metal
34. Eluveitie – Helvetios – Folk Metal
35. Asphyx – Deathhammer – Old School Death Metal
36. Circus Maximums – Nine – Progressive Metal
37. Stam1na – Nocebo – Progressive Metal


The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet

38. Moonspell – Alpha Noir – Progressive Death
39. Gazpacho – March of Ghosts – Progressive Rock
40.  Silversun Pickups – Neck Of The Woods – Alternative Rock
41. Beneath the Massacre – Incongruous – Technical Death Metal
42. Taproot – The Episodes – Nu-Metal
43. Enochain Theory – Life…And All It Entails – Progressive Rock
44. DrDoom – Everyone Is Guilty – Deathgrind
45. The Shins – Port Of Morrow – Indie Rock
46. Outcast – Awaken the Reason – Technical Death Metal
47. The Foreshadowing -Second World – Doom Metal


Cannibal Corpse – Torture

48. Moonspell – Omega White – Progressive Death
49. Spawn of Possession – Incursion – Technical Death Metal
50. Secrets of the Moon – Seven Bells – Black Metal
51. Azaghal – Nemesis – Black Metal
52. Die Antwoord – Ten$ion – Alternative Rap
53. Alcest – Les Voyages De L’Âme – Ambient Black Metal
54. Hypno5e – Acid Mist Tomorrow – Mathcore
55. Pandemonium – Misanthropy – Black Metal
56. Engel – Blood of Saints – Industrial / Metalcore
57. The Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania – Alternative Rock


Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol

58. Black Sheep Wall – No Matter Where it Ends – Doom Metal
59. Lamb of God – Resolution – Groove Metal
60. Catamenia – The Rewritten Chapters – Black Metal
61. Barren Earth – The Devil’s Resolve – Progressive metal
62. Avatar – Black Waltz  - Progressive Death Metal
63. Unleashed – Odalheim – Death / Trash Metal
64. Sigh – In Somniphobia – Black Metal
65. Brendan Small  – Galaktikon – Power Metal
66. Soulfly – Enslaved – Nu-metal
67. Whitechapel – Whitechapel – Dethcore


Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity

68. Lay down rotton – Mask of Malice – Death Metal
69. Pallbeaer – Sorrow And Extinction – Doom Metal
70. John 5 – God Told Me To – Instrumental Rock
71. Architects – Daybreaker – Metalcore
72.  Lethian Dreams – Season of Raven Words
73. Soulfallen – The Promise of Hell – Melodic Death Metal
74. Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar – DnB / Dubstep
75. Lunar Aurora – Hoagascht – Black Metal
76.  Make Them Suffer – Neverbloom – Dethcore
77. Before the Dawn – Rise of the Phoenix – Melodic Death metal


Infected Mushroom – Army of Mushrooms

78.  Dark Princess – The World I’ve Lost – Gothic Metal
79. Dreamscape – Everlight – Power Metal
80. Terrorizer – Horde of Zombies – Death Metal
81. Nothnegal – Decadence – Melodic Death Metal
82. Marilyn Manson – Born Villian – Alternative Metal
83. Abigail Williams – Becoming – Black Metal
84. Linkin Park – Living Things – Alternative Rock
85. Silent Descent – Mind Games – Electro Metal
86. Disfiguring the Godless – Sleeper – Brutal Death Metal
87. Lana Lane – El Dorado Hotel – Symphonic Metal


Anathema  – Weather Systems

88. Exxila – Decode – Nu-Metal
89. Morbid Angel – Illud Divinum Insanus – The Remixes – Industrial
90. Abominable Putridity – The Anomalies of Artificial Origin – Brutal Death Metal
91. The Devastated – Devil’s Messenger – Dethcore
92. Impending Doom – Baptised in Filth -Dethcore
93. Dreamcatcher – Emerging from the shadows
94. Kraanium – Post Mortal Coital – Brutal Death metal
95. Zero Hour – Dementia – Trance metal

EP’s

1. Trioscapes – Separate Realities – Experimental Jazz


Trioscapes – Separate Realities

2. T.R.A.M – Lingua Franca – Experimental Jazz
3. Deathspell Omega – Drought – Math Black Metal
4. TesseracT – Perspective – Progressive rock
5. Dark Tranquillity – Zero Distance – Progressive Metal
6. Chimp Spanner – All Roads Lead Here – Progressive Metal
7. Neurotech – Decipher Vol. 1 – Cyber Metal
8. Nick Thayer – Like Boom – Electro House
9. Chelsea Grin – Evolve – Dethcore