Best Music of 2015

Here it is the mandatory year end list; my own top 10 of the best music of 2015. Surprise, no Adele!

Enjoy and please share your picks!

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Music Reviews Now Have a Parallel Niche

Music Review : George Kollias - Invictus (2015)

Music Review : George Kollias - Invictus (2015, Season of Mist)

Greek musician George Kollias, known mostly for his work as the longest staying drummer with the band Nile, has released a solo work of Technical Death metal. Well, his main band Nile also does a form of Technical Brutal Death metal. So what does set him apart from the other band? The comparison between both bands is easy and a bit harsh for Kollias.

 It is useless to mention his mastery behind the drums and how he released many lessons on Extreme Metal drumming. But does that make him a composer and a lyricist? This is where Kollias part ways with Nile, on the comparison level.

Invictus is an interesting musical album for the drumming parts and to hear what Kollias has under his belly when it comes to full music. However, Karl Sanders and his other Nile band mates are what it makes the band such an important metal act.

Undoubtedly, Invictus suffers from an easy comparison and making an album in an already closed frame genre does take a bit over the just another Death metal record but not that high either in the bests of the genre.

6.5

Music Review : High On Fire – Luminiferous (2015)

Music Review : High On Fire – Luminiferous (2015, E1 Music)

Produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge), the latest record from sludge masters High On Fire couldn’t be more on point than it is. A return to their pre-Snakes For the Divine and De Vermis Mysteriis detour. Their music is fast, heavy, and sounds strong as a ton of bricks. Well, exactly what heavy metal music should be. Sandpaper in your ears and not Vaseline.

With singer/guitarist Matt Pike back stronger than ever, High On Fire is promised to great things. Luminiferous is one of the best Metal albums of the year so far. It can have all the qualities listed up and explores some of Pike’s esoteric fantasies. It suits well the music and we are not into Sleep’s territory either. This is one of the reason why it makes an album true to the band’s sound.

On drums, Des Kensel is once again the locomotive and the support for the superb guitar riffs along with bassist Jeff Matz who heavy sound just amplifies the fuzzy yet heavy atmosphere of Luminiferous.

8.5

Music Review : Liturgy – The Ark Work (2015)

Music Review : Liturgy – The Ark Work (2015, Thrill Jockey Records)

Following their 2011’s Aesthetica, the reunited quartet Liturgy have tried to make obviously an ultimate attempt at making a masterpiece with their craft here. Leaded by Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, Liturgy has been labeled as a black metal transgender of American black metal. However, their relationship with the genre is getting much thinner and felt more into the Swans lookalike.

At 57 minutes The Ark Work might feel a bit long and a bit repetitive with Aesthetica. The theory that Hunt-Hendrix exposes with his diagrams and esoteric vision, as interesting and innovative as they might be, doesn’t weight enough to support the music and its length.

The musical mastery of Hunt-Hendrix on vocals and guitar, Greg Fox on drums, Tyler Dusenbury on bass, and Bernard Gann on guitars isn’t enough to elevate this record to potent follow-up to its predecessor. It is a lesser Liturgy album but lesser Liturgy is still better than many other bands’ best record.

7.1

Music Review : Blur – The Magic Whip (2015)

Music Review : Blur – The Magic Whip (2015, Parlophone)

Forever for mainstream music listeners Blur will be linked with their hit Song 2 and for a few more their singer will be remembered as the mysterious voice behind Gorillaz. Blur’s new album, The Magic Whip, features twelve new songs of alternative rock that would not stay in the 1990’s just as their aforementioned hit.

After many listens, The Magic Whip plays as an average album with certain highs and some lows. However, as the album goes the song Ong Ong will be my soundtrack for the summer and it is probably the most radio phonic song of the whole record. Not many hooks and a lot of filling titles in an album lacking real depth or, let’s say it like that, it needed more meat around the bone.

6.1

Music Review : Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell (2015)

Music Review : Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell (2015, Asthmatic Kitty)

Carrie & Lowell is my first experience with singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens and I must say his acoustic indie rock hooked me at the first listen. The melancholy and sadness of this record reminded me how the first records of The Weakerthans brought me into a place inside where those feelings are OK to be felt and even a little comfy.

Stevens writes about his late mother who died in 2012 on Carrie & Lowell. Carrie is her and Lowell was his stepfather. Just as he writes « the past is still the past » on Should Have Known Better, he tries to accept and pass his mourning. In fact, this same song is maybe the happiest of the album with the « My brother had a daughter » when on the other songs he writes sometimes about suicide, blood, masturbation, and violence.

Songwriting may be something difficult but for others it is just as easy as breathing. The whole album seems like Stevens is breathing those lyrics and writes about his life and his inner feelings. 

Subtle touches of instruments are in the background of Sufjan’s guitar and his whisper of a voice. Making Carrie & Lowell a minimalist jewel that unfolds slowly with every new listen.

At first, Sufjan Stevens might not be the artist that I usually go towards but his Cat Stevenesque quality that also reminded me of George Harrison and a bit of Paul Simon. Strong songwriting and a few chords just to be with the simplistic yet efficient music.

8.2

Music Review : Raised Fist – From the North (2015)

Music Review : Raised Fist – From the North (2015, Epitaph Records)

Sweden’s hardcore punk titans of Raised Fist are back with another record titled From the North that could situate them geographically from the other popular hardcore acts. In the early 2000’s hardcore and metalcore genres had been emerging and gained a wide spread popularity until emo and all its sub genres took the stage.

Back with a more mature record Raised Fist shifted their almost metal sound of old school hardcore is slowed down to let to more rock tempos than the usual fast songs. It is also a more commercial shift of their music and their release on Epitaph Records might be one of the explanations for this.

From the North is a solid effort and feels like a good album in the discography of Raised Fist. However, the evolution from Sound of the Republic has molded into more vast audiences and as a fan of their earlier releases it took me longer to get acquainted to From the North. 

6.5

Music Review : Caïna – Setter of Unseen Snares (2015)

Music Review : Caïna – Setter of Unseen Snares (2015, Broken Limbs)

The term one-man-band is well known in the black metal genre and Caïna is an essential representation of this form of metal and band from Manchester, UK. Setter of Unseen Snares is a short album inspired by Matthew McConaughey’s character in the hit television show True Detectives. Filled with a couple of samples of the monologues of the aforementioned character, Setter of Unseen Snares is not your typical one dimension black metal record. Playing with the boundaries of metalcore, dream pop/shoegaze, drone, and post-rock Andrew Curtis-Brignell makes a textured album of experimentation of satisfaction in its overall tenure.

The six songs are imbricated and form a massive ensemble of melancholy, brutality, and ugly beauty. Yes ugly beauty in its form of black metal vocals and shoegaze guitar. A sound popularized by Deafheaven and their masterpiece Sunbather, Setter of Unseen Snares is possibly one of the best metal albums and even one of the best albums of 2015. It brings us into dark places with simple compositions and essential brutality.

8.7

Music Review : The Mountain Goats – Beat the Champ (2015)

Music Review : The Mountain Goats – Beat the Champ (2015, Merge)

With their indie rock infused with melancholy and a certain naive charm, The Mountain Goats released a new record based around wrestling and the ecosystem it is linked with. Scrumy basement rings and a respect for the discipline and entertainment it all represents. This subculture has inspired an album full of gratitude and connections with underground music and small recognition amongst peers and friends.

Adding piano, horns, and a certain depth into their songs, The Mountain Goats are pursuing the path of Transcendental Youth. With a touch of the Vince Guaraldi Trio recalling Charlie Brown on the song Fire Editorial, Beat the Champ is taking us in many territories that ask us to visit a myriad of sentiments and emotions.

As a record Beat the Champ might be more eclectic than its predecessor, but the variety of songs and the reach works well as a series of disconnected songs linked by a theme as surprising as wrestling.

7.6

Music Review : Lightning Bolt – Fantasy Empire (2015)

Music Review : Lightning Bolt – Fantasy Empire (2015, Thrill Jockey)

The noise rock duo of Lightning Bolt has done it again for a seventh time with their new album Fantasy Empire.

Playing with high intensity and fast tempos it is at first almost exhausting to listen to their music. With the subsequent listening, Fantasy Empire rises to another level and becomes more than just noise rock played with by ADD kids. It makes a coherent piece that elevates noise and rock together to a form that is not only an interesting experiment.

The drums of Brian Chippendale are fast and omnipresent as their snare kick are fulfilling the space and time of every song. On the other side, Brian Gibson’s bass guitar is heavy and crunchy. Chippendale’s vocals are tortuous and have an urgency few rock vocalists have achieved before.

Fantasy Empire is one of the very good albums of the year since 2015 might be the year of noise as the rising genre of the year. Since last year was stoner the noise element is a logical evolution of music.

7.9

Music Review : Viet Cong – Viet Cong (2015)

Music Review : Viet Cong – Viet Cong (2015, Jagjaguwar)

Playing noise rock, art rock, post-punk, indie rock, well rock infused with all those labels, Viet Cong’s self titled record goes and flows in seven songs with a sad hook like early Interpol or 1980’s The Cure. Only the noise element makes it a 2015 album because let’s face it if 2014 was the culmination of the return of stoner rock with Mastodon, Yob, Pallbearer, this year is a noise one with Lightning Bolt and Viet Cong.

Coming from Calgary, Viet Cong, the ex-Women, constructed a contemporary classic that has many grand moments that transcends traditional rock. Sometimes a label fits a particular sound or another texture here and there but mostly the proposition gives a breath of fresh air to modern rock that has been hermetic to evolution since pop and dream-pop has taken some of its stage.

Their experimentation in genres and musical styles hace many of the aforementioned names but also reminds of a little band from England called The Beatles with their more psychedelic phases.

All in all, Viet Cong’s self titled album has something to say and might satisfy many ears.

8.0

Music Review : Enslaved – In Times (2015)

Music Review : Enslaved – In Times (2015)

Coming from a string of acclaimed albums from Below the Lights , ISA, Ruun, Vertebrae, Axioma Ethica Odini, and RIITIIR, the Norwegian progressive black metal masters of Enslaved have put in front their rock influences like Rush, Pink Flolyd and Led Zeppelin.

With In Times, Enslaved are going another step forward into melodic rock and retaining the rage and violence of their original genre. It is a catchy album that without Grutle’s growl would have made a noticeable prog rock product. Not that it is a bad thing or not enjoyable either. But, as far as I am an early fan of Enslaved and I’ve followed and appreciated each and every record they did, I feel a bit tired of the formula and I would rank Below the Lights as their masterpiece and then the later albums slowly decreasing in originality and inspiration.

Some would say that as the guys in the band get older they get softer and turn back onto their early influences. It is, in fact, not a wrong proposition but a very dull one as to say that they don’t make them like Mardraum anymore.

Finally, In Times is far from a complete mess but just the continuity of the slow fall of Enslaved from the aforementioned Below the Lights into the boredom of average albums.

6.5

Music Review : Melechesh – Enki (2015)

Music Review : Melechesh – Enki (2015)

Mostly known for being one of the most important Extreme Metal band coming from Israel, Melechesh who deported themselves in the Netherlands a few years ago claim to be playing Assyrian Metal mixing some elements of black, death, and middle eastern sonorities. In fact, they play a melodic extreme metal with some elements of orient music. However, never pushing it as Nile would go and introduce instrucments from the middle East or as great and meditative as OM.

With globalization, music and in this case metal has been all over the world and many bands from around the world have done many times the entire globe. With Global Metal, Scott McFayden and Sam Dunn have traveled and documented the genre in the most incongruous place on Earth. So this is no more a surprise when a band like Melechesh releases an album. Borders are now a simple label but music is now universal.

With Enki, the follow up to the celebrated 2010 release of The Epigenesis, which is by the way an average album that is not as ground breaking as many claimed. Well, Enki suffers even more from the comparison to its predecessor and from the many praises. This is an easy album to get into because it touches many paths that have been touched before. It sounds like a numeric version of early Keep of Kalessin that is too well produced and that lacks a deep that could elevate it from the average records.

I must admit that I am sure this is a crowd pleaser with its melodic guitars, nice drum parts, and the semi-guttural semi-clean vocals. Repeat listens don’t make this a better album unlike the dual records of Old Man Gloom for example.

It is too much a generic album that is inspired by classic metal and is far from being avant-garde or ground breaking. I guess that if you liked The Epigenesis you’ll be quite satisfied with the same formulaic offer that is Enki.

5.8

 

Catching on 2014 Music : Young and in the Way – When Life Comes to Death (2014)

Music Review : Young and in the Way – When Life Comes to Death (2014)

Formed in Charlotte, North Carolina, YAITW are a blackened crust punk band or a crust punk band playing black metal. In fact, they are using various elements of each genre to form their own particular sound.

As one would have guessed it this makes it for a very aggressive album and a very somber used of many themes like the title Whe

n Life Comes to Death would suggest. With songs like Fuck This Life, Be My Blood, We Are Nothing, Final Dose, and Embrace Extinction don’t expect any joie de vivre. The revolving of those themes reminds of old school punk  and makes it for a very homogenous record. Surprisingly, this is somewhat of an accessible piece for fans of each genre because of the easy mingle between crust punk and black metal and the opened path by the recent releases of the legendary Norwegians of DarkThrone.

Finally, since this is a crossover of two hermetic genres, When Life Comes to Death reminds us how bands that mix many genres like the finnish power/black/heavy metallers of Children of Bodom have gained many non-metal fans or non-fans of each genre to rally and be the poster boys of metal, well YAITW despite their dangerous attitude are kind of giving a similar message of entry into the genres but not completely immersing into the core of both of the infamous music.

6.0

Catching on 2014 Music : Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen (2014)

Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen (2014)

This late 2014 release from the Irish outfit Primordial was an awaited album that is the obvious continuity of their discography. First, there’s no surprise here and no shift in their music. This is the same formula of long songs, strong vocals, and a solid overall offering.

While Redemption At The Purtian’s Hand was an instant classic, Where Greater Men Have Fallen (yes the band continues on a strike to name its albums with long titles) is more in the average section of my personal rating. Still a good disc. There’s a certain monotony and a lack of passion or aggression that the previous Primordial efforts had in their core. As I often explain in my musical reviews, I’m okay with a certain homogeneity in the form of an album but I what I fear the most is monotony and filling. Sadly, some moments of WGMHF contains one or both of these elements.

With the quality of released in 2014, Primordial isn’t in the upper section neither it is in the lower section of my ratings. This is the kind of highly expected records that let you on your appetite.

7.4

Catching on 2014 Music : Indian – From All Purity (2014)

Indian – From All Purity (2014)

Blackened Doom metal masters, Indian have released though Relapse a very engaging record that blends mostly doom with sonorities and ambiances of Black Metal. However, both genres/labels don’t seem to be obvious for a mix. Indian plays their own music and it feels right in the entire album.

From slow beats to heavy guitar riffs, From All Purity contains six tracks of pure heaviness and incomfort. Those four musicians beat the shit out of their instruments and seem to know no limits when it comes to spare notes.

One of the best records to come out of 2014 while getting doom enthusiasts a nice challenge, black metal fans will scratch their heads to know how violent and heavy an album could even be that deranging and beautiful. A cacophony of great proportions that takes the pattern that Unsane opened and it is as if the New York Hardcore band had a black metal twin that was hidden all that time and was discovered and unleashed.

8.3

 

Catching on 2014 Music : Godflesh – A World Lit Only By Fire (2014)

Godflesh – A World Lit Only By Fire (2014)

As an metalhead since almost twenty years I am often asked by people what is the heaviest band in the world. If I had a dollar each time people have asked me the same question I could only do things I like and not work anymore. Seriously, the common answer to that is to say Black Sabbath since they were one of the earliest bands carriers of heavy music. With nowadays’ resurgence of sludge, doom, noise, and the followers it is more a question of taste in genres. However, one of the heaviest bands of all time and of any genres is Godflesh. With a thirteen years of absence, A World Lit Only By Fire takes the torch at the same point they left the musical scene. This might be one of the best albums of 2014 along with Swans’ To Be Kind (review coming soon by the way).

Sounding as heavy, loud, and angered as ever Godflesh beats the crap out of every songs on this record. A lesson in metal and pure understanding of underground music. Labeled as industrial metal and post-metal, Godflesh makes what I would call their own genre and I find those labels too restrictive for the wide span of Godflesh.

Godflesh is part of the evolution of underground heavy music and must be taken as leaders of the cultural movement that is Metal. A World Lit Only By Fire is another proof that when artists like Justin Broadrick and G.C. Green are creating they always will be ahead of the mass offering of musicians. Whenever the time or trends.

8.6

The Most Expected Albums of 2015

The Most Expected Albums of 2015

With my recent post on the Best Albums of 2014 I’ve wrapped up 2014 for music. Now let’s have a look at  what is coming and what are the most expected albums of 2015.

Panda Bear
Meets The Grim Reaper – January 12

Being honest with you all, I’m a big fan of everything Noah Lennox does from Animal Collective to Panda Bear with his glimpse into Daft Punk’s Getting It Right. There’s a lot of anticipation for this album and whatever Panda Bear has in stock for us I’m sure it is fresh and genuine.

Marduk
Frontschwein – January 19

With my ever lasting penchant for Extreme Metal, Swedish legendary performers of Marduk’s new release is always something at least worth my time to listen. In fact, they are always a sure shot and even if they don’t produce masterpieces anymore, Serpent Sermon was a solid effort.

 

Mount Eerie
Sauna – February 3

With Mount Eerie’s Phil Elvrum we can expect anything. From Indie-rock textures to black metal ambiances, Sauna is sure to be an interesting new offering from this one of a kind singer/musician/composer.

 

Enslaved
In Times – March 6

Norwegian Metal is in general mistakenly or rightly linked to satanic rituals and church burnings. In the case of Enslaved, a black/Viking Metal band inspired by the likes of Prog rock icons Rush, it is my the ancient Scandinavian religions that these masters at mixing violent music and beautiful compositions that we are expecting.

 

Faith No More
TBD – April

A legendary band that doesn’t need any presentation is getting back with a new record. I just hope that it will meet the high expectations.

 

Giorgio Moroder
74 Is The New 24 – TBA

The father of modern pop music is back with a new offering. Many younger music enthusiasts discovered the old master with Daft Punk’s song on Random Access Memories. But Moroder worked with Bowie (listen to Cat People), and made many motion pictures soundtracks (Midnight Express).

 

King Diamond
TBD – TBA

The Godfather of black metal and the direct child of Genesis and Alice Cooper, King Diamond is back from his heart surgery and stronger than ever. Almost 60 and still killing it!

 

Kreator
TBD – TBA

The German masters of thrash metal are on a streak of great albums since Enemy of God, Hordes of Chaos, and Phantom Antichrist. Their new stuff will be noticeable since I could listen to Kreator thrash for an entire week without getting tired.

Motörhead
TBD – TBA

Another survivor and pioneer, Lemmy and Motörhead are what I call classic. I can’t get behind the drums and not jam at least one or two tracks from Motörhead’s repertoire. Even if the latest albums are formulaic I still hope to be surprised by a new album.

 

Muse
TBD – TBA

The band that takes itself a bit too seriously since a couple of albums even if they managed to master anything they get to do is by rumors getting back to their more alternative rock sound with their new record. Anyhow, The 2^nd Law was one of the best records lately and even if it was painted Queen all over it and so cheesy I thought that it was quite good. Muse can do whatever they want and this is why I still believe in them even after the very average release of The Resistance.

 

With all that said, what are the albums you are most expecting for 2015? Any albums I may have missed in 2014?

 

The Best Albums of 2014

Hello everyone, I know I’ve been pretty silent these past weeks, but at work I’m involved in a great project of RM (records management for the initiated) and at home I’m working on the house and taking care of a little baby of six months is a lot of fun but also a lot of new responsabilities. However, I’m making a point that I would at least publish something for the end of the year.

This is the time of the year when we look back at what have been the best and the worst of the year. In music I have been listening to a lot of artists new to me and a bunch of bands I’ve been a fan of.

But time have been restricting me to discover some of the albums I’m listing here. They are blindspots that I have interests to discover but for now won’t make the list :

Blut Aus Nord – Memoria Vetusta III – Saturnian Poetry
Earth - Primitive and Deadly
Electric Wizard – Time To Die
Eyehategod – Eyehategod
Goatwhore – Constricting Rage Of The Merciless
Godflesh - A World Lit Only By Fire ; Review
Mournful Congregation - Concredescence Of the Sophia
Old Man Gloom – The Ape of God and The Ape of God ; Review
Pallbearer – Foundations Of Burden
Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen
Raspberry Bulbs – Privacy
Serpentine Paths – Emanations
Swans – To Be Kind
Usnea – Random Cosmic Violence
YOB – Clearing The Path To Ascend
Young And In The Way – When Life Comes To Death Review

Then, they were ten that deserved the highest recognition of being listed as the best albums of 2014 :