F O U R T H E Y E

hellboy wrote:

petemasterpete wrote: Agrimonia: I like the layered guitars, but it's really too bad the drumming is so damned pedestrian in comparison (not dissimilar to how Hammett outclasses Lars) ... bonus: chick death metal singer that didn't entirely annoy me all of the time (even had to google them to confirm it was a gal, indeed, screaming at me)

Really? I presumed it was a dude. Didn't find the drumming that much of a detraction personally. He's no Danny Carey but seems quite capable.

yep ... saw a band pic noting vox/keys: Christina

Yeah, now that I listen more closely I can pick it.

MK ... My list is as follows:

One of Us is the Killer - DEP (the most complete record of the year ... a little bit of everything and done well)
Abandon All Life - Nails (no surprise, I been flogging this record all year)
Vexavoid - Portal (the one record I discovered directly due to fourtheye this year ... that makes this site entirely worth while)
The Raven Refused to Sing - Steven Wilson (the live show really brought this record to life for me)
Self-Titled - Bosnian Rainbows (cannot believe Omar finally released something I like, and it's this)
Habitual Levitations - Intronaut (seem to be setting a solid standard for the rest of their peers in this genre)
Sky Burial - Inter Arma (I think the psychedelic aspect sets it apart from other stoner/post rock shit from this year)
Memorial - Russian Circles (a bit short for them, but a solid listen)
Self-Titled - Palms (yes, Chino, blah fucking blah ... FUCK YOU! Room for improvement with these guys, but I think it's a solid effort for a "super group")
Sunbather - Deafheaven (not as groundbreaking as the interweb would have you think, but a solid fucking record ... great tones and the drumming is tits)
Sole Creation - Kongh (just fell in love with this over the weekend ... great all around and the 'clean vox' are nothing short of brilliant in mine ear balls)
Book of Souls - Secret Chiefs (fucking Halloween Theme Song!)
Clean - Whores (holy shit ... fuck it, I've listened to this EP 5 times in the last 12 hours)

Honourable Mentions and other notes on records from bands I generally hold in high regard:

*Gov't Plates - Death Grips (first five or so tracks are great. it tails off a bit, but those first couple songs save it, and are heavier than most of the shit you listen to) - weakest record on my 13, replaced by Kongh (Sole Creation)
Volto!: yes, I'm a fanboy and find several parts of this record I enjoy thoroughly
Bowie: The Next Day - cuz he's Bowie and the record isn't overly memorable, but it's not bad for an old man
Nick Cave: Push the Sky Away - cuz he's him and although not always my favourite thing to listen to, it's also a quality record
Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood: Black Pudding - Duke's a great instrumentalist and composer ... most people can do neither and he put Lanegan over the top of it.
Clutch: Earth Rocker - good record, but not quite the staying power with me as some of their past offerings
Melvins: Tres Cabrones - getting back to form, fun listen, this record
Queens of the Stone Age: ... Like Clockwork - it's not a horrible album by any means, but it's not 6 years wait great either ... not enough ass-shaking rock n' roll
Boards of Canada: Tomorrow's Harvest - Solid offering, but it's been a long wait between records and this one hasn't stuck with me like past offerings.
Red Fang: Whales and Leeches - Solid offering, stretched their style a bit more.
Deltron: Event II - missed the mark ... I think I like it less with every listen, but BIG shoes to fill following 3030.
Tomahawk: Oddfellows - I don't hate it, I just know they could put out a much better record

and the most underwhelming/disappointing record of the year goes to ...

Nine Inch Nails, for Hesitation Marks. Sorry Trent, but this record blows ... not a moment of enjoyment in it for me. I'm still paying to see you this year, cuz your shows are rad and I know you'll bring some of these tunes to life in the live setting and at the very least I'll enjoy some absolute classic tunes. But holy shit ... did I mention this record blows?

will edit accordingly if something springs to mind

1,000th post ... w00t!

I think on the list I submitted for the poll, I put the Doomstar Requiem at number 10, but I've since changed my mind.

1. Sunbather - Deafheaven
2. Revocation - Revocation
3. Trouble Will Find Us - The National
4. …Like Clockwork - Queens Of The Stone Age
5. Ultraviolet - Kylesa
6. One Of Us Is The Killer - The Dillinger Escape Plan
7. Kveikur - Sigur Ros
8. Memorial - Russian Circles
9. Tres Cabrones - Melvins
10. Infestissumam - Ghost
11. The Doomstar Requiem - A Klok Opera - Metalocalypse
12.Whales and Leeches - Red Fang
13. Earth Rocker - Clutch

petemasterpete wrote:MK ... My list is as follows:

It's a good list from my perspective, and really highlights what has been a common thread for me - disappointing albums. NIN, Clutch, TOmahawk, Nick Cave and to a lesser extent Deltron and Red Fang all released records that I expected more of.

I can't remember a year when so many bands I respect released albums I consider sub par. There will be more new to me bands in my top albums list then ever this year.

hellboy wrote:

petemasterpete wrote:MK ... My list is as follows:

It's a good list from my perspective, and really highlights what has been a common thread for me - disappointing albums. NIN, Clutch, TOmahawk, Nick Cave and to a lesser extent Deltron and Red Fang all released records that I expected more of.

I can't remember a year when so many bands I respect released albums I consider sub par. There will be more new to me bands in my top albums list then ever this year.

yeah, that's exactly how the year was ... a large collection of records from quality bands I've followed for years that just weren't that good. It's not to say they were all bad records, but there was a chance for an historical type year of releases and I admittedly did probably over anticipate more than usual knowing that going into the year. But far from being a disappointing year for music, as The Boss stated somewhere, there was a huge contingent of relevant, quality music to discover ... seemed a bit of a changing of the guard, perhaps, in relation to the sinkers, the floaters and the swimmers.

petemasterpete wrote:

hellboy wrote:

petemasterpete wrote:MK ... My list is as follows:

It's a good list from my perspective, and really highlights what has been a common thread for me - disappointing albums. NIN, Clutch, TOmahawk, Nick Cave and to a lesser extent Deltron and Red Fang all released records that I expected more of.

I can't remember a year when so many bands I respect released albums I consider sub par. There will be more new to me bands in my top albums list then ever this year.

yeah, that's exactly how the year was ... a large collection of records from quality bands I've followed for years that just weren't that good. It's not to say they were all bad records, but there was a chance for an historical type year of releases and I admittedly did probably over anticipate more than usual knowing that going into the year. But far from being a disappointing year for music, as The Boss stated somewhere, there was a huge contingent of relevant, quality music to discover ... seemed a bit of a changing of the guard, perhaps, in relation to the sinkers, the floaters and the swimmers.

I was going to post basically the same thing. well said.

UndKeineZwEier wrote:11. The Doomstar Requiem - A Klok Opera - Metalocalypse

I wasn't a big fan of the mini movie (though I must admit that it has grown on me) but I thought it worked very well as an album.

The Abigail's Lullaby/Some Time Ago..../The Duel trio might just be my favorite thing musically that Dethklok/Metalocalypse/Brendon Small has ever done. Which is saying a lot because I freaking love the first two albums.

I hope he ends up putting a tour together. I'd love to see it live.

Also while the album is great, it doesn't have this:

Ravenpig wrote:The Abigail's Lullaby/Some Time Ago..../The Duel trio might just be my favorite thing musically that Dethklok/Metalocalypse/Brendon Small has ever done.

Better than this:

[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

#1 The Knife - Shaking the Habitual

In no particular order

Haim - Days are gone
Kanye West - Yeezus
Karnivool - Asymmetry
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Palms - Palms
Whores - Clean
Danny Brown - Old
QOTSA - Like Clockwork
Deafheaven - Sunbather
Dead Letter Circus - The Catalyst Fire
Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus
Major Lazer - Free the Universe

Here's one that might have made my top list had I heard it before today. Anyone else listened to these guys before?

[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

I'll wait till I get some shrooms so I can give an honest opinion.

You're thinking of budsy, not basejumper.

I know, I get those two confused all the fucking time.

Still, I need some fucking shrooms

So I promised UND I'd do my best to fill one of these out myself, so here it is. I will use the disclaimer, however, that I did NOT vote for half of these in the "Top 10" voting that ended a few weeks ago (I think my list was only 7 albums). Without further ado:

AOTY:

Intronaut- Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words with Tones) I like it more now than the first few times I heard it, which is the exact opposite effect that I'm unfortunately getting with Valley of Smoke. Prehistoricisms, however, RULES. (A song about australopithecus!)

The "names" section None is great but I gotta fill this list up somehow.

Queens of the Stone Age- .....Like Clockwork
NIN- Hesitation Marks
Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem (probably the best of this little bunch)
VOLTO!- Incitaire (They're a "name" here)

The "unexpecteds" section

Ormen Lange- Ormen Lange
Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
Euporie Tide- Causa Sui
Red Fang- Whales and Leeches

The "only because I promised to get to 13" section

The Screaming Matches- Grownass Man
How to Destroy Angels- Welcome Oblivion
Clutch- Earth Rocker (liked it but I'm reallllllyyyy reaching here)
Black Sabbath- 13 (Ha ha ha get it? Get it? I'm hilarious)

That was pretty tough to fill out. I'm sure there are some albums I totally forgot about, as you might be able to tell from the last section.

^ugh

Yep, it's a pretty crappy list, which is why I didn't do one to begin with. As I said, only did it cause Und asked me to.

all good ... that's, like, your opinion, man

Any list with Sabbath in it screams "I only listened to 13 albums this year".

hellboy wrote:Any list with Sabbath in it screams "I only listened to 13 albums this year".

that was going to be my exact response, but I was trying to be nice for a change

It was a joke, thought I made that clear enough. I struggled to come up with this list, did no one see that part?

The whole last section was me really reaching for something.

As I said, I'm sure there are albums that I legit liked that I missed.

Ravenpig wrote:It was a joke, thought I made that clear enough. I struggled to come up with this list, did no one see that part?

The whole last section was me really reaching for something.

As I said, I'm sure there are albums that I legit liked that I missed.

but none of them were on the other shitty lists that didn't include sabbath, right?

Not really sure what you're asking there.

I didn't originally make a list because I either didn't listen to enough albums released in 2013 or the ones I liked more than average were by bands whose names were new to me and now I can't remember them. I struggled to even come up with the 7 albums I voted for in the year end voting.

I wasn't even all that happy with that list either, to be honest.