Top Albums of 2013
15.
Altars
Something More
melodic hardcore/hardcore
This spot was a battle between Altars and Vices. Ultimately Altars wins this spot due to this albums versatility. It's extremely catchy for a hardcore record, and with that, is very "sing-a-long-ish". That may sound cheesy and "not hardcore". But Altars hits home with every element thrown in this record.
14.
Broken Flesh
Warbound
death metal
And here we have our first heavy band. And they certainly are heavy. Broken Flesh puts most secular bands to shame with their music style. They bring us every heavy genre element in one crushing record. It's fast, it's heavy, it's dark, it's barely understandable...everything you want it a fantastic brutal record.
13.
Confide
All Is Calm
post-hardcore
In-b4 "they... not... Christian... band" trolls. Confide has been supported by the Christian community since their birth being that all members are open Christians. I waited a long time for new music from these guys, and finally they put together their finest record. All Is Calm is very experimental, with mixers of metalcore, post-hardcore, electronic, and rock, all while still making classic Confide music. This truly is solid record from start to finish, and a heck of a record to finish their Confide careers on.
12.
The Burial
In The Taking Of Flesh
death metal
Yes, I understand that this record should possibly be higher. Right, I mean, it's, The Burial, and this record is insane. But, I am not a death metal man. I get lost in all it's glorious fast-ness (new word). I can only take so much shredding, ha. But, I recognize how talented this band is, and.... I also believe last year's Lights And Perfections was better.
11.
Extol
Extol
melodic death metal
The Christian metal scene's beloved Extol comes in at 11. This is a record that is high on everyone's list. And while it is in my top 15, it wont crack my top 10. Great record for a brand of music you don't see much today. Dark European vocals, melodic death metal instrumentation, and Jesus... Metal
10.
My Heart To Fear
Algorithm
metalcore
Here is my most un-biased pick. I thought their previous release was a bit overrated. This album really caught me by surprise, both musically and finding out it was released without much knowledge about it. MHTF really stepped their game up from when I last heard them, growing a lot with a more mature modern metalcore sound.
9.
The Ongoing Concept
Saloon
uuuummmm
If you can narrow down a genre for this band, then you are a genius. This record is literally filed with every aspect of music that involves a guitar and drums. These guys are extremely talented. The vocalist has a crazy screaming style that will leave him voiceless, and yet he has an amazing singing voice. And the music, well, it is everywhere. It's like ... experimental mathcore rock. Solid State has a rare gem here.
8.
Norma Jean
Wrongdoers
hardcore
Another band that left us a few years waiting for new music. Norma Jean releases a superb record with Wrongdoers. NJ is possibly my favorite hardcore group, and remembering them proclaiming Christ in front of thousands on Mayhem Festival a few years back will always place them on top in the respect category for me. With that said, this record took a big leap from their previous one, and Meridional was a solid record. They keep the same format with this record as well, adding more classic NJ to the mix and perfecting what they went for with Meridional.
7.
Into The Flood
Vices
death metal/deathcore
Into the Flood did not release much music before this album, so I did not really know what to expect from them. This album completely blew me away with how good it was. Brendan is a beast vocally, and the music hits hard. It's a mix of death metal heavy and deathcore heavy. Century Media has a huge spectrum of metal bands under its belt, so there is no doubt that Into the Flood is going to continue to grow bigger and stronger in years to come. This record is just the beginning.
6.
Impending Doom
Death.Will.Reign
deathcore
DOOMNation in full effect here. Being my favorite band, they had to make a showing at some point. So here they are. ID come extremely hard with DWR. They bring everything Doom is known for; heavy grooves, breakdowns for days, eerie guitar mixes, and heavy dark lyrics. They are taking the world by force right now, and rightfully so, being one of the heaviest bands you could possibly see live.
5.
Afterimage
Veil the Unseen
melodic deathcore/death metal
Perhaps the smallest band in this lineup, but they pack huge sound. Afterimage could possibly have my favorite song of the year with "Manifest the Impossible". Everything about that song is perfect. And near perfect is this album. Another band that is hard to nail genre wise. They are shreddy, heavy, melodic, have bits of synth of European melo death, as well as deathcore and metalcore elements. This is a masterful record. If they do not get picked up by a label from this release I have lost all hope in the professional industry.
4.
August Burns Red
Rescue & Restore
metalcore
It does not matter how long ABR has been around, they will always stay atop the metalcore world. With every release they add elements of growth. This album, to me, is like a Leveler part II. This album is fantastic. It's emotional, raw, heavy, and experimental. It is everything we have grown to love about ABR, so why is this number 4? Because I enjoyed Leveler so much more.
3.
Anberlin
Vital
rock
5000 albums in, Anberlin gives us Vital. A perfectly mixed experimental rock release. Just when Anberlin seemed to be slowing down with fantastic rock albums, they slap this in my face and remind me what made them so great. Stephen Christian remains one of the best vocalists out there, and musically they delve into some 80's pop rock, alternative, acoustic and electronic. I honestly would easily put this at number 1, but it fell just a little short. I do not know how, because this is just short of a masterpiece. Its Beautiful. Oh yeah.... and the first sentence in the Confide review applies to this band as well. Ha!
2.
Phinehas
The Last Word Is Yours To Speak
metalcore
As August Burns Red is reaching the beginning of the back half of their career, Phinehas quickly is becoming their predecessors. As fantastic as Thegodmachine was, this album takes all momentum from that album and puts a little more power in the tank. Swooping guitars all over the place, mixes of screams and manly clean vocals, and fantastic instrumentation all across the board. Phinehas has grown tremendously in the last year or two, and 2 full lengths in, they are showing us that it is still just the beginning.
1.
Colossus
Time & Eternal
metalcore
Didn't see this coming? Neither did I. But now I see clearly. I am able to look past the popular names and reputations and pick out the dirty diamonds. And Colossus's Time & Eternal is an unclean diamond that has yet to hit the fires and be seen by the world. They recently signed to Facedown Records, and I fully congratulate them. Not long after, they release this record. And at first listen, barely paying attention, you can miss it. But it left me intrigued. Second listen through, I no doubtingly decided this is one of the top releases of the year. And the more I listened, the closer to number one it got, until, here we are.
This record is perfect metalcore. There is nothing generic about it. It's as heavy as metalcore can get. It has its progressive parts, almost djent-like, and experimental parts as well. And the best part, after a full listen through, is that this band is only going to get better. This most likely is not anybody else's number one, but what this should be for you, is break out album of the year.
Honorable Mentions
Alive in Me - Through The Looking Glass, Ark of the Covenant - Self Harvest, Battleship! - Resurrection, Blood of the Martyrs - Completionist, A Body Divided - [D]elusion, Creations - Unworthy/Humility, Day of Vengeance - Crutchless, The Devil Wears Prada - 8:18, Everything In Slow Motion - Phoenix, Fit For A King - Creation/Destruction, Foreverlin - Long Lost, Great Counselor - Pioneers, Hope For The Dying - Aletheia, Leaders - Indomitable, Living Sacrifice - Ghost Thief, Love And Death - Between Here and Lost, Mouth of the South - Transparency, My Epic - Behold, Righteous Vendetta - The Fire Inside, Sinners To Saints - The Greatest of These, Soul Embraced - Mythos, Those Who Fear - Unholy Anger, Vices - Between My Ming and The World, With A Voice - The Witness in the Valley
I agree with you about Phinehas.. They're decent!
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