It's that time of year again! Yes, indeed, time to give my Top 10 Albums of the Year list. It's been a long year, with a lot of good music put out. So, before we get into the countdown, here's my Honorable Mentions for 2006:
Fallout from the War by
Shadows Fall
Sacrament by
Lamb of God
The New Black by
Strapping Young Lad
All Riot by
Waterdown
A Matter of Life and Death by
Iron Maiden
Kiss Of Death by
Motörhead
Supremacy by
Hatebreed
Right then. And now the countdown!
10.
The Crusade by
Trivium
For what it was, this was a pretty solid album in my opinion. Trivium has shed some of their metalcore tendencies in favor of going more towards a traditional thrash sound, which works for them. I know, I know, that's just a nice way of saying they want to be the next
Metallica. Big deal. They sound damn good at it, and that puts them on my list.
Recommended tracks:
#4
Anthem (We Are The Fire)
#6
And Sadness Will Sear
#7
Becoming The Dragon
#10
Tread The Floods
9.
The Poison by
Bullet for My Valentine
Say all you want about Bullet for My Valentine just being a better version of
Atreyu. The bottom line is that this is a solid album with some damn good songs. It doesn't take a genius to see that this band is heading for some big recognition in the coming years. I like this album because the band combined some tried-and-true metal techniques with minor elements of hardcore and post-hardcore to make a distinctive, recognizable sound. Kudos to them for standing on principle and not bowing to critics.
Recommended tracks:
#5
Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow
#6
Hit the Floor
#9
The Poison
#11
Cries in Vain
8.
What Have We Become by
Seemless
At first listen, it may sound like Seemless just re-recorded 2003's
Seemless and put it out again. But if you give this album more than just one spin, you'll see that this band has come a long way in three years. Jesse David Leach's voice is so much more soulful, and the band's music now has the subtle elements of Southern rock and progressive metal that they were aiming for and missing on the self-titled album. It's a big progression for this band, and I love what they're doing.
Recommended tracks:
#3
Numb
#4
Eyes Of A Child
#6
Seven
#8
Maintain
7.
Define the Great Line by
Underoath
Underoath has come a long way since 2004's
They're Only Chasing Safety, and anyone who says otherwise hasn't listened to this album as attentively as they should. Gone are Underoath's past tendencies towards whiny singing countered by completely overdone screaming. They have achieved a fine balance on this new record, and have perfected their technique so the singing sounds more meaningful and the screaming less strained. The changes this band made to improve their sound are phenomenal, and after seven years of doing some of the same stuff over and over again, I give them major props for making the adjustments they needed to make for this album.
Recommended tracks:
#3
There Could Be Nothing After This
#4
You're Ever So Inviting
#6
Returning Empty Handed
#10
Everyone Looks So Good From Here
6.
Saints by
Destroy The Runner
If this album was put out by a band that had been in the industry for four or five years, I would have said it was a great album. For a band to put this out as their debut album is simply unbelievable. Destroy the Runner may not have the name recognition they need to get to the top, but if they continue to put out material like this, they will surely get that recognition very quickly. The vocals on this album are incredibly powerful, and the music is very well-played and leaves a lasting impression on you. Mark my words, keep your eyes on this band, because they're on their way.
Recommended tracks:
#2
My Darkness
#6
The Aleph
#10
Sound Of Reason
#12
Pallbearer
5.
Karmacode by
Lacuna Coil
I expected nothing less than near-perfection on this album, and Lacuna Coil did not disappoint. The band's evolution since 2002's
Comalies is astounding, showing just how versatile they can be. This album moves at a much faster pace than their previous work, keeping you engaged and active in the listening process. The music is heavier, the lyrics are more powerful, and the band is simply unstoppable at this point.
Recommended tracks:
#1
Fragile
#5
Devoted
#9
Closer
#11
The Game
4.
Come Clarity by
In Flames
I have to say, this is a nice recovery from 2004's
Soundtrack to Your Escape. I don't know what it was that convinced In Flames that they needed to go back to their roots, but they did it well with this album. The thing that makes this album so good is that they found a way to integrate their older death metal sound with their new melodic tendencies, allowing this album to appeal to their entire fan base. I just hope they continue this trend in the future, because it is what will keep this band alive for many more years to come.
Recommended tracks:
#4
Dead End
#8
Pacing Death's Trail
#9
Crawl Through Knives
#10
Versus Terminus
3.
As Daylight Dies by
Killswitch Engage
HA! Fooled you all, didn't I? You thought this was going to be #1 didn't you? Well, the fact that this album is #3 on my list is not a sign that this album is anything short of phenomenal, because it is, in a word, phenomenal. Some people say that this album is just 2004's
The End of Heartache re-hashed with a fancy new cover, but they're totally wrong, because I know what went into making this album. Remember, I'm the guy who interviewed Mike D., and he's the one that told me just how incredibly different this album is from "The End of Heartache". The band has moved from being straight metalcore with melodies to being a complete metal band, mixing parts of Southern rock, thrash, hardcore, and good old-fashioned heavy metal into their sound. Don't underestimate this album. Give it a listen, and it will blow your expectations out of the water.
Recommended tracks:
#2
This Is Absolution
#5
My Curse
#8
Eye of the Storm
#11
Reject Yourself
2.
III: In The Eyes Of Fire by
Unearth
Nothing in the world could have prepared me for the onslaught that this record brings. In the two years since
The Oncoming Storm was released, Unearth has found the sound that is totally theirs to own. They take their music, mount it on a golf tee in your mouth, and then smash it into your head with a sledgehammer. This record will send you crying to your mother if you aren't prepared for its brutality, so be ready. Unearth is bringing the ruckus with this record, and not looking back.
Recommended tracks:
#1
This Glorious Nightmare
#2
Giles
#6
This Time Was Mine
#7
Unstoppable
1.
The Fall of Ideals by
All That Remains
The reason why this record is #1 on my list is because it is, in a word, perfect. There's no other way to describe it besides that. All That Remains went from being just another blip on the map with 2004's
This Darkened Heart, to becoming one of the most powerful, influential, and sought-after metal bands with this new record. The record shows just how versatile this band can be, with its wonderful mixture of electrifying screams and beautiful melodies, as well as blending searing thrash speed with doom-like slowness. This record just makes you want more, more, more, until you're totally immersed in its power. In short: buy this album. You won't regret, I promise you.
Recommended tracks:
#1
This Calling
#2
Not Alone
#3
It Dwells In Me
#8
The Air That I Breathe
And that, folks, is that. Happy 2007 to you. May this new year bring you all sorts of amazing new music to destroy your eardrums.
