![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27160956\/HOUSES-scaled.jpg\")
This record came out of nowhere\u2014for me. I had never heard of Houses (Dexter Miles Tortoriello). I still don\u2019t remember hearing about him but the record showed up at my house one day, so while in\u2026another state of mind\u2026I must have heard a song and purchased it on the spot. The single \u201cFast Talk\u201d and the track \u201cYears\u201d were released as an EP in 2018 but the 13-song full-length did not come out until this year. It is amazing\u2014poppy with synths, hints of hip-hop, EDM and more. The lyrics are fun and relatable: \u201cI\u2019d still sell my soul for a little bit of money and some self-control\u201d and \u201cIt ain\u2019t you or anybody else\u2019s business what I do\u201d and \u201cGonna cash bad checks \/ We\u2019re down and out, baby I don\u2019t care \/ I want to feel like a millionaire\u201d\u2014it\u2019s just gold. So glad I literally stumbled upon this release.<\/p>\n
9. Marquis Lavoie \u2013 \u201cSomething Like This, But Not This\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161020\/MARQUIS-LAVOIE-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAs I said, in another life I was a musician myself. Touring, I met many people and made friends all over. One band in particular, Vanna, let us tag along on numerous tours and we became good friends. Greg Marquis, aka Marquis Lavoie, is the younger brother of Shawn Marquis, bass player for Vanna. That\u2019s the background. I was blown away by Greg\u2019s pure talent showcased in this release. His music is simple\u2014acoustic guitar with rare drum, string and horn accompaniments. He plays off emotions and situations familiar to everyone, and is straightforward with his ideas and lyrics. His baritone voice is calm and soothing, and when he pushes up into his higher register\u2026wicked awesome. Oh, did I mention he\u2019s from Mass.?<\/p>\n
8. Between the Buried and Me \u2013 \u201cColors II\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161046\/BETWEEN-THE-BURIED-AND-ME-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe now diverge from the easy listening of the first two albums into the realm of progressive (prog) metal, a genre that even many metalheads cannot get into. BTBAM have been masters of the genre for over two decades. In 2007, they released \u201cColors,\u201d which is widely hailed as one of the best of their 10 full-length efforts. When the band announced \u201cColors II,\u201d the ripples of doubt from fans could be felt worldwide. But I\u2019ll be damned if it did not live up to its predecessor. I was fortunate enough to attend a Q&A with the band before a Sept. 1 show and I asked if they had concerns that it would fall flat when fans inevitably compared it to the original: \u201cNo. We knew what we had,\u201d bass player Dan Briggs said. The record is kooky. I don\u2019t know how else to describe it. The band touches so many genres on this record but always falls back into the pits of metal.<\/p>\n
7. girl in red \u2013 \u201cIf I Could Make It Go Quiet\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161129\/GIRL-IN-RED-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis was another new artist for me this year. Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Marie Ulven Ringheim, 22, began writing and recording music in 2015, which was released on SoundCloud. This is Ringheim\u2019s debut full-length album and this queer icon (dubbed so by Paper magazine) knows how to write catchy tunes. Lines like \u201cYou stupid bitch, can\u2019t you see? \/ The perfect one for you is me\u201d hooked me. And then she reeled me in with one of my favorite sad songs ever written (I absolutely love sad songs) \u201c.\u201d That\u2019s the name. Period. The chorus is gut wrenching: \u201cIt\u2019s been so hard ever since you broke my heart \/ But I\u2019ll never tell, honey, I\u2019m not doing so well.\u201d<\/p>\n
6. Genghis Tron \u2013 \u201cDream Weapon\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161151\/GENGHIS-TRON-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe name of this band probably threw you for a loop. Or made you smirk. And the name of the album probably has you envisioning something this album absolutely is not. While the word \u201cweapon\u201d is in the title, the word \u201cdream\u201d is what more accurately describes this album. Historically, Genghis Tron has been an experimental metal ensemble with blast beats and screaming. Earlier records would have intermittent synth parts and soft bridges and this is what the band leans on with \u201cDream Weapon.\u201d For this record (its first since 2008), the band\u2019s third studio album, the group dropped \u201cmetal\u201d from their genre description. This release is hypnotic, borderline psychedelic\u2014dreamy. The vocals are light and airy, backed with a host of synthesizers and killer guitar work. Think the \u201cTron\u201d (you know, the 1982 sci-fi, action-adventure classic) soundtrack on mushrooms with occasional hits of speed.<\/p>\n
5. Superbloom \u2013 \u201cPollen\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161215\/SUPERBLOOM-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDo you love throwing on your ripped jeans and oversized flannels and blasting \u201990s grunge music? Well then do I have a record for you. It\u2019s this one. Brooklyn-based Superbloom\u2019s debut album is a masterpiece of grunge nostalgia repackaged for a modern audience. The guitar tones, the song structure, the gravelly vocals, the gritty, raw aggression\u2014Kurt Cobain would be proud. Hell, the first track of the record is named \u201c1994,\u201d the very year Cobain \u201ccommitted suicide.\u201d Coincidence? Maybe. I\u2019ve never met the members of Superbloom. Like so many grunge bands of yesteryear, Superbloom has even embraced the acoustic ballad with the song \u201cMuzzle.\u201d It\u2019s beautiful. Front to back, \u201cPollen\u201d is fantastic. It\u2019s easily digestible without being boring.<\/p>\n
4. Deafheaven – \u201cInfinite Granite\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161237\/DEAFHEAVEN-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161259\/ETID-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161319\/LANTLOS-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/27161340\/MANCHESTER-ORCHESTRA-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I said, in another life I was a musician myself. Touring, I met many people and made friends all over. One band in particular, Vanna, let us tag along on numerous tours and we became good friends. Greg Marquis, aka Marquis Lavoie, is the younger brother of Shawn Marquis, bass player for Vanna. That\u2019s the background. I was blown away by Greg\u2019s pure talent showcased in this release. His music is simple\u2014acoustic guitar with rare drum, string and horn accompaniments. He plays off emotions and situations familiar to everyone, and is straightforward with his ideas and lyrics. His baritone voice is calm and soothing, and when he pushes up into his higher register\u2026wicked awesome. Oh, did I mention he\u2019s from Mass.?<\/p>\n
8. Between the Buried and Me \u2013 \u201cColors II\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe now diverge from the easy listening of the first two albums into the realm of progressive (prog) metal, a genre that even many metalheads cannot get into. BTBAM have been masters of the genre for over two decades. In 2007, they released \u201cColors,\u201d which is widely hailed as one of the best of their 10 full-length efforts. When the band announced \u201cColors II,\u201d the ripples of doubt from fans could be felt worldwide. But I\u2019ll be damned if it did not live up to its predecessor. I was fortunate enough to attend a Q&A with the band before a Sept. 1 show and I asked if they had concerns that it would fall flat when fans inevitably compared it to the original: \u201cNo. We knew what we had,\u201d bass player Dan Briggs said. The record is kooky. I don\u2019t know how else to describe it. The band touches so many genres on this record but always falls back into the pits of metal.<\/p>\n
7. girl in red \u2013 \u201cIf I Could Make It Go Quiet\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis was another new artist for me this year. Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Marie Ulven Ringheim, 22, began writing and recording music in 2015, which was released on SoundCloud. This is Ringheim\u2019s debut full-length album and this queer icon (dubbed so by Paper magazine) knows how to write catchy tunes. Lines like \u201cYou stupid bitch, can\u2019t you see? \/ The perfect one for you is me\u201d hooked me. And then she reeled me in with one of my favorite sad songs ever written (I absolutely love sad songs) \u201c.\u201d That\u2019s the name. Period. The chorus is gut wrenching: \u201cIt\u2019s been so hard ever since you broke my heart \/ But I\u2019ll never tell, honey, I\u2019m not doing so well.\u201d<\/p>\n
6. Genghis Tron \u2013 \u201cDream Weapon\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe name of this band probably threw you for a loop. Or made you smirk. And the name of the album probably has you envisioning something this album absolutely is not. While the word \u201cweapon\u201d is in the title, the word \u201cdream\u201d is what more accurately describes this album. Historically, Genghis Tron has been an experimental metal ensemble with blast beats and screaming. Earlier records would have intermittent synth parts and soft bridges and this is what the band leans on with \u201cDream Weapon.\u201d For this record (its first since 2008), the band\u2019s third studio album, the group dropped \u201cmetal\u201d from their genre description. This release is hypnotic, borderline psychedelic\u2014dreamy. The vocals are light and airy, backed with a host of synthesizers and killer guitar work. Think the \u201cTron\u201d (you know, the 1982 sci-fi, action-adventure classic) soundtrack on mushrooms with occasional hits of speed.<\/p>\n
5. Superbloom \u2013 \u201cPollen\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDo you love throwing on your ripped jeans and oversized flannels and blasting \u201990s grunge music? Well then do I have a record for you. It\u2019s this one. Brooklyn-based Superbloom\u2019s debut album is a masterpiece of grunge nostalgia repackaged for a modern audience. The guitar tones, the song structure, the gravelly vocals, the gritty, raw aggression\u2014Kurt Cobain would be proud. Hell, the first track of the record is named \u201c1994,\u201d the very year Cobain \u201ccommitted suicide.\u201d Coincidence? Maybe. I\u2019ve never met the members of Superbloom. Like so many grunge bands of yesteryear, Superbloom has even embraced the acoustic ballad with the song \u201cMuzzle.\u201d It\u2019s beautiful. Front to back, \u201cPollen\u201d is fantastic. It\u2019s easily digestible without being boring.<\/p>\n
4. Deafheaven – \u201cInfinite Granite\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
We now diverge from the easy listening of the first two albums into the realm of progressive (prog) metal, a genre that even many metalheads cannot get into. BTBAM have been masters of the genre for over two decades. In 2007, they released \u201cColors,\u201d which is widely hailed as one of the best of their 10 full-length efforts. When the band announced \u201cColors II,\u201d the ripples of doubt from fans could be felt worldwide. But I\u2019ll be damned if it did not live up to its predecessor. I was fortunate enough to attend a Q&A with the band before a Sept. 1 show and I asked if they had concerns that it would fall flat when fans inevitably compared it to the original: \u201cNo. We knew what we had,\u201d bass player Dan Briggs said. The record is kooky. I don\u2019t know how else to describe it. The band touches so many genres on this record but always falls back into the pits of metal.<\/p>\n
7. girl in red \u2013 \u201cIf I Could Make It Go Quiet\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis was another new artist for me this year. Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Marie Ulven Ringheim, 22, began writing and recording music in 2015, which was released on SoundCloud. This is Ringheim\u2019s debut full-length album and this queer icon (dubbed so by Paper magazine) knows how to write catchy tunes. Lines like \u201cYou stupid bitch, can\u2019t you see? \/ The perfect one for you is me\u201d hooked me. And then she reeled me in with one of my favorite sad songs ever written (I absolutely love sad songs) \u201c.\u201d That\u2019s the name. Period. The chorus is gut wrenching: \u201cIt\u2019s been so hard ever since you broke my heart \/ But I\u2019ll never tell, honey, I\u2019m not doing so well.\u201d<\/p>\n
6. Genghis Tron \u2013 \u201cDream Weapon\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe name of this band probably threw you for a loop. Or made you smirk. And the name of the album probably has you envisioning something this album absolutely is not. While the word \u201cweapon\u201d is in the title, the word \u201cdream\u201d is what more accurately describes this album. Historically, Genghis Tron has been an experimental metal ensemble with blast beats and screaming. Earlier records would have intermittent synth parts and soft bridges and this is what the band leans on with \u201cDream Weapon.\u201d For this record (its first since 2008), the band\u2019s third studio album, the group dropped \u201cmetal\u201d from their genre description. This release is hypnotic, borderline psychedelic\u2014dreamy. The vocals are light and airy, backed with a host of synthesizers and killer guitar work. Think the \u201cTron\u201d (you know, the 1982 sci-fi, action-adventure classic) soundtrack on mushrooms with occasional hits of speed.<\/p>\n
5. Superbloom \u2013 \u201cPollen\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDo you love throwing on your ripped jeans and oversized flannels and blasting \u201990s grunge music? Well then do I have a record for you. It\u2019s this one. Brooklyn-based Superbloom\u2019s debut album is a masterpiece of grunge nostalgia repackaged for a modern audience. The guitar tones, the song structure, the gravelly vocals, the gritty, raw aggression\u2014Kurt Cobain would be proud. Hell, the first track of the record is named \u201c1994,\u201d the very year Cobain \u201ccommitted suicide.\u201d Coincidence? Maybe. I\u2019ve never met the members of Superbloom. Like so many grunge bands of yesteryear, Superbloom has even embraced the acoustic ballad with the song \u201cMuzzle.\u201d It\u2019s beautiful. Front to back, \u201cPollen\u201d is fantastic. It\u2019s easily digestible without being boring.<\/p>\n
4. Deafheaven – \u201cInfinite Granite\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was another new artist for me this year. Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Marie Ulven Ringheim, 22, began writing and recording music in 2015, which was released on SoundCloud. This is Ringheim\u2019s debut full-length album and this queer icon (dubbed so by Paper magazine) knows how to write catchy tunes. Lines like \u201cYou stupid bitch, can\u2019t you see? \/ The perfect one for you is me\u201d hooked me. And then she reeled me in with one of my favorite sad songs ever written (I absolutely love sad songs) \u201c.\u201d That\u2019s the name. Period. The chorus is gut wrenching: \u201cIt\u2019s been so hard ever since you broke my heart \/ But I\u2019ll never tell, honey, I\u2019m not doing so well.\u201d<\/p>\n
6. Genghis Tron \u2013 \u201cDream Weapon\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe name of this band probably threw you for a loop. Or made you smirk. And the name of the album probably has you envisioning something this album absolutely is not. While the word \u201cweapon\u201d is in the title, the word \u201cdream\u201d is what more accurately describes this album. Historically, Genghis Tron has been an experimental metal ensemble with blast beats and screaming. Earlier records would have intermittent synth parts and soft bridges and this is what the band leans on with \u201cDream Weapon.\u201d For this record (its first since 2008), the band\u2019s third studio album, the group dropped \u201cmetal\u201d from their genre description. This release is hypnotic, borderline psychedelic\u2014dreamy. The vocals are light and airy, backed with a host of synthesizers and killer guitar work. Think the \u201cTron\u201d (you know, the 1982 sci-fi, action-adventure classic) soundtrack on mushrooms with occasional hits of speed.<\/p>\n
5. Superbloom \u2013 \u201cPollen\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDo you love throwing on your ripped jeans and oversized flannels and blasting \u201990s grunge music? Well then do I have a record for you. It\u2019s this one. Brooklyn-based Superbloom\u2019s debut album is a masterpiece of grunge nostalgia repackaged for a modern audience. The guitar tones, the song structure, the gravelly vocals, the gritty, raw aggression\u2014Kurt Cobain would be proud. Hell, the first track of the record is named \u201c1994,\u201d the very year Cobain \u201ccommitted suicide.\u201d Coincidence? Maybe. I\u2019ve never met the members of Superbloom. Like so many grunge bands of yesteryear, Superbloom has even embraced the acoustic ballad with the song \u201cMuzzle.\u201d It\u2019s beautiful. Front to back, \u201cPollen\u201d is fantastic. It\u2019s easily digestible without being boring.<\/p>\n
4. Deafheaven – \u201cInfinite Granite\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
The name of this band probably threw you for a loop. Or made you smirk. And the name of the album probably has you envisioning something this album absolutely is not. While the word \u201cweapon\u201d is in the title, the word \u201cdream\u201d is what more accurately describes this album. Historically, Genghis Tron has been an experimental metal ensemble with blast beats and screaming. Earlier records would have intermittent synth parts and soft bridges and this is what the band leans on with \u201cDream Weapon.\u201d For this record (its first since 2008), the band\u2019s third studio album, the group dropped \u201cmetal\u201d from their genre description. This release is hypnotic, borderline psychedelic\u2014dreamy. The vocals are light and airy, backed with a host of synthesizers and killer guitar work. Think the \u201cTron\u201d (you know, the 1982 sci-fi, action-adventure classic) soundtrack on mushrooms with occasional hits of speed.<\/p>\n
5. Superbloom \u2013 \u201cPollen\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDo you love throwing on your ripped jeans and oversized flannels and blasting \u201990s grunge music? Well then do I have a record for you. It\u2019s this one. Brooklyn-based Superbloom\u2019s debut album is a masterpiece of grunge nostalgia repackaged for a modern audience. The guitar tones, the song structure, the gravelly vocals, the gritty, raw aggression\u2014Kurt Cobain would be proud. Hell, the first track of the record is named \u201c1994,\u201d the very year Cobain \u201ccommitted suicide.\u201d Coincidence? Maybe. I\u2019ve never met the members of Superbloom. Like so many grunge bands of yesteryear, Superbloom has even embraced the acoustic ballad with the song \u201cMuzzle.\u201d It\u2019s beautiful. Front to back, \u201cPollen\u201d is fantastic. It\u2019s easily digestible without being boring.<\/p>\n
4. Deafheaven – \u201cInfinite Granite\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Do you love throwing on your ripped jeans and oversized flannels and blasting \u201990s grunge music? Well then do I have a record for you. It\u2019s this one. Brooklyn-based Superbloom\u2019s debut album is a masterpiece of grunge nostalgia repackaged for a modern audience. The guitar tones, the song structure, the gravelly vocals, the gritty, raw aggression\u2014Kurt Cobain would be proud. Hell, the first track of the record is named \u201c1994,\u201d the very year Cobain \u201ccommitted suicide.\u201d Coincidence? Maybe. I\u2019ve never met the members of Superbloom. Like so many grunge bands of yesteryear, Superbloom has even embraced the acoustic ballad with the song \u201cMuzzle.\u201d It\u2019s beautiful. Front to back, \u201cPollen\u201d is fantastic. It\u2019s easily digestible without being boring.<\/p>\n
4. Deafheaven – \u201cInfinite Granite\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSome of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of my friends have been fans of Deafheaven for years but I had never gotten into it. Before this release, the band had been described as black metal and shoegaze\u2014or blackgaze, a combination of the two. For this release, they dropped the black metal aspect and went with clean vocals reminiscent of \u201980s new wave. Shoewave? Well, die-hard fans were not thrilled with the change in direction. But a fan of shoegaze and new wave, I\u2019m here. for. it. The album dropped as I was re-discovering my love of \u201980s music, buying tons of The Cure, Depeche Mode and similar records. It was a perfectly timed release for me. It also has one of my favorite misheard lyrics\u2014in \u201cThe Gnashing,\u201d I thought the chorus proclaimed, \u201cIn this house, blowing my brains out\u2026\u201d It does not.<\/p>\n
3. Every Time I Die \u2013 \u201cRadical\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
This may be one of the most aptly named records in the history of records. It is, in fact, radical. I\u2019ve been an avid ETIDiot (a term of endearment for fans of the band) for years. But I\u2019m no snobby musical elitist who says things like \u201ctheir earlier work is better\u201d if it simply is not true. \u201cRadical\u201d is hands down one of the best records this iconic metalcore band has ever put out\u2014and they have put out some absolute bangers. The band continues to evolve and grow without changing its sound, in large part due to the lyricism of vocalist Keith Buckley who has been put through the wringer by life over the last few years. But they always sound like ETID. This band also is the GOAT when it comes to opening tracks. In 2012, Buckley gave the world the opening line \u201cI want to be dead with my friends,\u201d this year he gave us \u201cSpare only the ones I love, slay the rest.\u201d Both songs rip, but the latter may take the cake. The album is a window in Buckley\u2019s trials and tribulations and world view. His words are accompanied by the classically thick ETID sound, including catchy guitar riffs and lead lines, a full bass tone and aggressive drums.<\/p>\n
2. Lantl\u00f4s \u2013 \u201cWildhund\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOriginally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Originally a black metal band, mastermind Markus Siegenhort got tired of the genre and took his music in a new direction with 2014\u2019s \u201cMelting Sun.\u201d Seven years later, \u201cWildhund\u201d continues with the new trajectory. Siegenhort has not let go of his black metal roots, with his music utilizing metal-esque tones, rhythms and writing styles, but the music is cleaner, more pure\u2014almost whimsical at times. It is melancholy, it is uplifting. The music is paired exclusively with light and airy melodic vocals that are a far cry from the black metal screams of Siegenhort\u2019s past. \u201cWildhund\u201d delves even deeper into the realm first explored in \u201cMelting Sun\u201d but is simultaneously more aggressive. Siegenhort creates meticulously beautiful soundscapes with tracks like \u201cPlanetarium,\u201d which is quite spacey\u2014in the sci-fi sense, as the name suggests. This record was worth the seven-year wait but I truly hope I don\u2019t have to wait seven more for the next.<\/p>\n
1. Manchester Orchestra \u2013 \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d<\/h2>\nPhoto by Brandon Richardson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you know me, this number one slot comes as no surprise to you\u2014certainly Tim Grobaty saw this coming<\/a>. I love Manchester Orchestra. Every record. Every EP. I never miss a live performance\u2014if they\u2019re within an hour or two of Long Beach, I\u2019m there. Somehow, \u201cThe Million Masks of God\u201d has a more mature sound than previous records that are by no means sophomoric. But the band has not lost its sound or its heart, rather it has added to them. Everything on the record is intentional\u2014songs flow seamlessly, similar musical patterns and lyrical themes are woven throughout the record and it is dynamic, from \u201csoft and pretty\u201d to \u201cloud and soaring,\u201d as Brooklyn Vegan\u2019s Andrew Sacher<\/a> said. Frontman Andy Hull is one of my favorite lyricists. I said earlier that I love a good sad song, well, Hull knows how to absolutely rip out a person\u2019s heart. The track \u201cWay Back\u201d begins with the soul-crushing line \u201cI don\u2019t miss you \/ The way that I did.\u201d The song opens up at the end for a bigger sound but the lyrics don\u2019t get any lighter: \u201cThe only demand I could muster was begging you no \/ So know I\u2019m moving to mute all my memories I made in that moat \/ I know that I won\u2019t stop breathing.\u201d Hull\u2019s lyrics don\u2019t even have to be deep or clever to take an emotional toll on the listener. His delivery of simple lines can pull on heartstrings, as is evident with the last line of the album:\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this time, I thought I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n