2011 HBG- Hardcore

Sections:
-Introduction
-Rock
-Hip Hop
-Melodeath/Thrash/Sludge Metal
-Electronic
-Power/Symphonic/Folk Metal
-Alternative/Indie Rock
-Progressive
-Hardcore
-Death Metal
-Black Metal
-Ambient/Post-Rock
-Gothic/Industrial/Darkwave
-Folk- Coming Soon
-Doom Metal- Coming Soon
-Experimental- Coming Soon

 

This section is comprised of the best hardcore punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, deathcore, and screamo albums of 2011. For those who aren’t familiar with those terms, just know the following 10 albums have lots and lots of screaming.

 

Ära Krâ
Ferne Tage

Powerful, beautiful, and emotionally devastating, Ära Krâ’s debut is one of the year’s best albums in any genre of music. This is an incredible first album, and it’s hard to imagine what Ära Krâ may be capable of in the future. Stylistically, the music is very unique with elements of hardcore punk, atmospheric black metal, and post-rock. All of it comes together perfectly and with a great deal of emotion. There are certain albums that just seep passion, and Ferne Tage is one of them. The content is dark, yet still beautiful, and it manages to create a distinct and absorbing atmosphere. Most of the vocals are screamed, and the instrumentation can build from ambience to extreme metal, but does so at a leisurely pace. By its end it’s hard not be exhausted listening to Ferne Tage, and that’s a good thing. It’s an emotionally draining album, and as a result it’s definitely not for everyone. However, anyone who likes to sit and truly listen to their heavy music will find a one of a kind experience, and again, one of the absolute best albums of 2011.

 

Born of Osiris
The Discovery

I’ve heard solid deathcore before, even a few great EP’s. However, Born of Osiris’ The Discovery is the single best pure deathcore album I’ve ever listened to. This is proof that mixing death metal with hardcore can work, and screams and breakdowns aren’t completely incompatible with death metal. The vocals vary between high and low screams and death growls, although not all are well done. It’s good that none of the specific styles stay for too long, and the constant changing only adds to the intensity. The Discovery is likely an album that will be enjoyed more by hardcore/metalcore fans than death metal purists, and that’s fine. This is really a metalcore album with legitimate death metal influences and some well implemented progressive and atmospheric sounds. Born of Osiris have crafted a chaotic mess of an album, and I mean that in the best way possible. If you’re an open-minded death metal fan I would recommend giving this one a chance, but more than anything it’s an essential release for fans of heavier hardcore music.

 

Defeater
Empty Days & Sleepless Nights

Empty Days & Sleepless Nights shows two very different sides of Defeater. Some of the songs are heavy hardcore tracks complete with heavy riffs and punk screaming. Those are solid for the most part, and Defeater do a good job of building the songs and giving them some variety. The other half of Empty Days & Sleepless Nights is much softer. There are four acoustic ballads, all of which are surprisingly good. Even without the screaming, Defeater still put a punk edge into the softer tracks. The lyrical themes are similar throughout the album, namely a loose story about a family dealing with their life post-war. The acoustic tracks all come at the end, after 35 minutes of hardcore punk. This makes the theme of the record all the more powerful, hearing anger followed by grief. Empty Days & Sleepless Nights is a complete album, and a great sophomore release from a band quickly gaining the attention of punk fans everywhere.

 

Jesus & Paka
Duality

The first time I listened to Duality, the debut album from Jesus & Paka, it took only about a minute for me to realize that this duo has come up with one of the most unique sounds imaginable. With that being said, it took quite a bit longer for me to realize that this album was more than just a unique experiment. Jesus & Paka play acoustic screamo. Yes, you read that right. This album has powerful punk screams being delivered over borderline-flamenco acoustic guitar parts. It’s hard to believe that this style works, but it does, and quite brilliantly at that. This whole thing would fall apart if the vocals were lackluster, but thankfully the screams are forceful, and they are only intensified by the acoustic instrumentals. The guitars are fast enough to work with the music, but they put a powerful emphasis on the vocals that makes Duality an incredibly emotional record. This is one of the most unique albums of 2011, and it’s also one of the best.

 

La Dispute
Wildlife

Wildlife is not an album that be critiqued at a technical level, and that’s what makes punk music so great. This is an album of pure emotion. Every word that comes from the vocalist’s mouth is said, screamed, and sung with passion, and the same can be said for every note of the guitar. Wildlife is just intense and beautiful in the most heartbreaking of ways, and it’s the kind of album that’s exactly what emo could be if you removed all of the stigma and commercialism. That is to say, this is a punk album with real emotion, and it makes for a powerful and at times difficult listen.

 

Protest the Hero
Scurrilous

Protest the Hero is a band that makes incredibly complicated music sound simple. Parts of Scurrilous are nothing short of ridiculous and borderline overwhelming. You’ll hear the vocalist screaming over guitar shredding, chaotic drum beats, and melodic backing vocals. Other times high singing will occur over chugging hardcore riffs and breakdowns, and instruments will sometimes transition to new parts seemingly without regard for what the other parts are playing. What sounds like a guitar solo will start in the middle of a verse, and the instruments will slow down in the middle of another. It shouldn’t work, but somehow Protest the Hero manage to pull it off, and the moments where everything does come together bring a much needed rest to chaos. All things considered, Scurrilous is really pretty accessible. It’s a testament to the band’s songwriting that such crazy compositions can work, especially at a level where the music can appeal similarly to fans of hardcore and progressive metal.

 

Pulling Teeth
Funerary

Pulling Teeth’s Funerary feels like two different hardcore albums packaged into one. Both are great, but in different ways. The first half is a loud, fast, and chaotic collection of straightforward hardcore punk songs. The latter half is slower and basically sludge metal with punk screams. Again, both work, and they show a tremendous amount of variety. The instrumentation ranges from slow and heavy sludge to fast and sloppy punk to technical metal and even melodic in the solos. It’s an interesting mix, especially in the latter half, and it makes for an incredibly strange and rewarding listen. The vocals won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, even amongst hardcore fans, and the screaming isn’t as powerful as it could have been. The sloppy screams work well with some parts of the music, but occasionally it stands out too much. For the most part though, Funerary is a unique hardcore album that works, and it’s a great album for punk fans and metalheads alike.

 

Raein
Sulla linea d'orizzonte tra questa mia vita e quella di tutti

Makers of some of the most creative and emotionally-charged screamo out there, Raein have returned with an album funded by fan donations. In a lot of ways, this is a return to Raein’s roots, as the music is simpler and closer to their influences than any of their albums before it. The vocals are a mostly powerful screaming, with a few spoken sections, and the instrumentals are similar to influential modern screamo bands like Saetia and pageninetynine. There’s a lot of variation in the instrumentals, both in style and mood, and the music stays interesting throughout as a result. Unlike the aforementioned bands, Raein refrain from moments of pure chaos. The music is certainly emotional, angry, and devastating, but it all stays pretty steady and even accessible as far as screamo albums go. Sulla linea d'orizzonte tra questa mia vita e quella di tutti isn’t anything new for hardcore punk, but it’s a very solid album nonetheless. It’s certainly recommendable for those with interest in screamo, but even newcomers to the genre might want to give this one a try. It’s available as a free download on Raein’s website, and it’s definitely worth any music fan’s time.

 

Todos Caerán
After Dark

While many hardcore bands keep their songs short and to the point, Todos Caerán take the opposite approach. After Dark is cinematic album with long tracks, instrumentals that sound like post-rock at times, and spoken storytelling that eventually turns into screams. It’s definitely for a different type of listener than those who prefer short and intense music, but those who are more patient will find an ever changing album that is successful at building the quiet into the loud. It’s no surprise to learn that Funeral Diner are a primary influence, as that style of hardcore screaming over part-post-rock part-punk instrumentals is in full effect here and done very well. After Dark is a very impressive album, especially for it being the band’s first full-length release. If this is any indication, Todos Caerán have a bright future ahead of them.

 

Trap Them
Darker Handcraft

Fast, loud, and heavy, Trap Them’s Darker Handcraft is everything a crust punk album should be. That’s not to say that Darker Handcraft is just a crust punk album though. There are straight up rock ‘n roll riffs, used in a way similar to that of Kvelertak last year. Many of the songs are short, and are just brutal segments without intros or outros. That structure is common in punk music, but hearing something as heavy and brutal as the music here makes it all the more powerful. The longer (3+ minutes) tracks are also straight to the point, although the “death ‘n roll” parts are more prominent on those. Trap Them are a crust band that do things a little different and a lot better than most of their contemporaries. If you buy one crust punk album in 2011, you can’t go wrong with Darker Handcraft.

2011 HBG- Progressive

Sections:
-Introduction
-Rock
-Hip Hop
-Melodeath/Thrash/Sludge Metal
-Electronic
-Power/Symphonic/Folk Metal
-Alternative/Indie Rock
-Progressive
-Hardcore
-Death Metal
-Black Metal
-Ambient/Post-Rock
-Gothic/Industrial/Darkwave
-Folk- Coming Soon
-Doom Metal- Coming Soon
-Experimental- Coming Soon

 

Despite a few disappointing releases from established bands, progressive rock and metal had huge years in 2011. So huge, in fact, that this turned out to be the most contested category in this year’s guide. A whopping 7 out of 10 albums received a score of at least 3.5 out of 4. Needless to say, prog fans have a lot of great albums to choose from here.

 

Cormorant
Dwellings

Cormorant’s second album is bigger and better than its predecessor in a number of ways. Having discussed music with Arthur von Nagel, there’s no doubt in my mind that he could be a great critic. His taste is deep and varied, and he draws influences from many great underground rock and metal bands. In Dwellings you’ll hear bits of black metal, melodeath, and lots of progressive metal, but there are subtle hints of post-rock, avant-garde, gothic rock, industrial, and many, many other types of music. There’s simply a lot to Cormorant, and they blend everything together seamlessly. Again, part of what made Metazoa great was the shock of hearing so many subtle influences incorporated into a large and heavy sound. While that’s still there on Dwellings, some of the excitement is gone. Cormorant’s sound is far more polished this time around, and while for the most the part that’s a good thing, it does lose some of its raw power in the process. That balances is tricky when black metal is a major part of the sound, and those are really pretty minor issues. Dwellings is another outstanding release from Cormorant, and it’s as distinct as it is varied.

 

Devin Townsend Project
Deconstruction

Devin Townsend’s third album in his “project” series will be the most familiar of the bunch to fans of his previous work. Stylistically, Deconstruction is reminiscent of Ziltoid the Omniscient, complete with a crazy story and Devin’s unique sense of humor. There’s an all-star guest list here as well, and while all do an exceptional job, Deconstruction never really settles into a groove because of it. The story doesn’t work all that well, which is disappointing considering how well Devin has done comedic concept albums in the past. Ultimately though, both of those are minor flaws. The real meat here is the music, and that’s where Deconstruction shines. Devin is still a ridiculously talented musician, mixing some of the best growling and clean singing found in heavy metal music. The songs are mostly long and epic, and combine many of Devin’s heavier influences. No, it’s not quite Strapping Young Lad, but it is the heaviest record Townsend has been a part of it in some time. This is “Heavy Devy” and a more progressive Devin rolled into one, and on that level it works perfectly.

NOTE: Devin Townsend Project also released a more mellow album Ghost in 2011. While it is not quite as good, it is absolutely worth listening to, and is offered as a package with Deconstruction.

 

Flaming Row
Elinoire

Flaming Row’s first album borrows heavily from established metal opera projects like Ayreon and Avantasia. Much like what those bands do, Flaming Row has a great amount of guest singers who play characters in a story told over progressive metal music. The vocalists are mostly excellent, and there’s a good mix between male and female singing and even some growling. The story is the real strength of Elinoire, however, as this tragic tale is the best I’ve heard from an album like this since Ayreon’s The Human Equation. The storytelling is captivating from the start, and Flaming Row quickly prove to be much darker than their counterparts. Elinoire is familiar in a lot of ways, but it’s also a very polished and well constructed debut album. Again, it’s not quite up to the level of Ayreon’s best, but it’s every bit as good as Avantasia and the lesser Ayreon albums.

 

Haken
Visions

After a great album in 2010, Haken have returned with an even better release a year later. Visions is an absolutely breathtaking collection of melodic, heavy, and epic progressive music, and it cements Haken’s place as one of the premier prog bands in music today. Haken draw influences from both classic and contemporary progressive rock and metal bands, and they blend together different styles of progressive music well. There are beautiful melodic moments, as well as heavier ones, but there’s a constant symphonic element that can be found throughout. They make great use of synths without overusing them, and it’s Haken ability to take touches of other prog bands and combine them into a unique and concise package that makes them such an enjoyable band to listen to. Visions is a very strong album, and it’s an essential listen for any fan of progressive rock or metal.

 

Leprous
Bilateral

Leprous’ Bilateral is a largely experimental prog metal album that never loses sight of its human qualities. Throughout its avant-garde weirdness and constant styles changes, there is a consistent sense of passion to the music, and it’s great to hear both sides of progressive music work together so well. Former Emperor frontman Ihsahn makes an appearance, so it goes without saying that parts of Bilateral are heavy. There’s also a great deal of melody here, often found within the same sections, but there are truly beautiful segments as well. There are also plenty of crazy avant-garde parts, but none sound forced. The record flows incredibly well, and as a whole Bilateral is one the most ambitious and overall best progressive albums of 2011.

 

Myrath
Tales of the Sands

Myrath’s third album sees the band progressing into a polished and complete progressive metal group. On Tales of the Sands, all aspects of Myrath’s sound come together to make catchy and unique pieces of music. The instrumentals range from symphonic to the standard crunching metal riffs, and the vocals are usually high pitched and would fit well in a quality power metal band. However, what sets Myrath apart are their oriental influences, specifically in their use of Arabian folk. It would be one thing if the band just played progressive metal and then transitioned into oriental sections, but Myrath do a lot more. The two styles are blended together seamlessly, and neither overpowers the other. There are a few songs that forgo the folk influences, which is strange because when used they are prominent part of the music. The songs without oriental sounds don’t fare as well, as the strong vocals can’t carry the entire load. The pure prog metal riffs just aren’t all that interesting, so it’s a good thing that most of the tracks are able to work with both parts of Myrath’s sound. Overall, Tales of the Sands is easily the best Myrath album yet, and it’s a very solid and mostly unique progressive album.

 

Orne
The Tree of Life

Influenced by early progressive rock bands, Orne have created a varied and often beautiful contemporary reimagining of 70’s prog rock. The difference is that Orne are have learned from how the genre has evolved throughout the years, and as such their album is focused and devoid of jamming or segments that don’t advance the music. The heavier parts are built up to in logical ways, and the album feels concise as a result. And while the band is clearly based in classic prog, they aren’t afraid to mix things up. There are some clear folk elements, as well as some male and female harmonies that are beautifully executed. The whole album has an atmospheric feel to it, and the spoken word sections add to that, even for those who ignore the rather uneventful story. Taken as a whole, The Tree of Life is a long, but never boring, album that borrows from its influences while bringing new ideas to the table. It’s the kind of album that progresses as it goes along, and prog fans wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Steven Wilson
Grace for Drowning

Steven Wilson, best known as the frontman of Porcupine Tree and half of Blackfield and No-Man, has returned with his second solo album. This one bears little resemblance to 2008’s Insurgentes, and is instead a straightforward prog rock album that sounds right out of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Grace for Drowning bears a striking resemble to King Crimson and other early progressive bands, and as such it embraces parts of Porcupine Tree’s music without sounding like a true PT album. If you like progressive rock, you’ve certainly heard similar albums to Grace for Drowning. It has the usual mix of soft ballads and heavier instrumental showcases, often both in the same track. Wilson is a solid singer and guitarist, but his biggest strength remains as a songwriter. That’s what makes Grace for Drowning a worthwhile listen, as the familiar sounding parts are weaved together in ways that pay tribute to classic prog while still sounding new in the process. Grace for Drowning is far from Steven Wilons’ best, but it’s good at what it does, and for fans of classic progressive rock, this two-disc epic is a treat.

 

Sun Caged
The Lotus Effect

As a melodic progressive metal band, Sun Caged is often compared to Dream Theater. I’m not sure those comparisons are valid, as Sun Caged is far less technical and more varied than the classic New York prog band, but that’s a good place to start when recommending Sun Caged. And to be clear, this band is definitely worthy of a recommendation. Their latest album, The Lotus Effect, mixes acoustic and symphonic elements into Sun Caged’s melodic progressive metal sound, which makes the music that much more melodic. The vocalist will remind many of James Labire (again, from Dream Theater), but he lacks the range necessary to compete with him. In reality, the vocals are fairly standard for progressive metal, but they fit the music well. What really makes The Lotus Effect a great album is the sheer epic feel that runs throughout. The songs are mostly long, with the finale being almost 25 minutes, but they never get boring. Even with a fairly simple style, Sun Caged manage to build the songs in logical and interesting ways. This makes The Lotus Effect a consistent and enjoyable album, and that’s not something that can be said for most melodic prog.

 

Wolverine
Communication Lost

Removing the growling from their sound turned out to be a great decision for Wolverine. Communication Lost is a much lighter album than past releases from the band, but it’s easily the group’s best album yet and one the best albums of 2011. The songs are incredibly varied and well written, and include a wide range of instruments and influences. There are still some heavy moments, and the vocals match the style of music well, subtlety changing from high and melodic to rough and low. There’s also a great deal of tension here, and it’s amazing how quickly Wolverine can shift from the beautiful to the powerful and back. This is great melodic and atmospheric progressive music that exists somewhere in between hard rock and metal, and it’s the kind of record that shows an equal amount of talent in the instrumentation and songwriting. Communication Lost is a truly outstanding album, and while some of the heavier segments from past Wolverine are missed, what’s here is excellent from start to finish.

2011 HBG- Alternative/Indie Rock

Sections:
-Introduction
-Rock
-Hip Hop
-Melodeath/Thrash/Sludge Metal
-Electronic
-Power/Symphonic/Folk Metal
-Alternative/Indie Rock
-Progressive
-Hardcore
-Death Metal
-Black Metal
-Ambient/Post-Rock
-Gothic/Industrial/Darkwave
-Folk- Coming Soon
-Doom Metal- Coming Soon
-Experimental- Coming Soon

 

The term “indie” is now being thrown around to describe basically any form of contemporary alternative music. Major label bands with no indie rock influences are being marketed as indie bands, and it’s getting harder to tell what exactly the genre is at this point. For that reason, indie and alternative rock have been put into the same category for this year’s guide. In terms of quality, alternative had a less than stellar year, but there were still some good albums that had to be left off the list. Here are 10 great alternative and indie rock albums released in 2011.

 

Cake
Showroom of Compassion

Compared to their contemporaries, Cake have always been the “mature” part-comedy part-alternative rock band. While Ween were crude, The Presidents were random, and Weezer were full on pop parody, Cake were the more simple and sophisticated of the lot. Their music is simple but wildly unique and creative, and their lyrics range from parody to literary references. Showroom of Compassion is the first Cake album in seven years, and it shows the band growing as musicians. Some alternative fans may be put off by its almost avant-garde oddity at times, especially on tracks like “Teenage Pregnancy,” but listeners who embrace Showroom of Compassion’s mix of the weird and the accessible will find Cake’s best album since Prolong the Magic and maybe even the most consistent album of their career.

 

DeVotchKa
100 Lovers

DeVotchKa don’t do things a whole lot differently than other indie rock bands. They just do it better. 100 Lovers is a little country, a little gothic, and a little poppy, but the sound it forms is sort of a purer, more polished version of contemporary indie music. The vocals will be especially familiar to indie rock listeners, but there is a beautiful atmosphere to the instrumentals that creates a nice contrast between the clean instrumentation and rough vocals. There are beautiful moments, as well as some heavier rock ones, and the music remains catchy and varied throughout. There are also a lot of different instruments being used, and used as more than just novelty. These includes a full arsenal of string, woodwind, and brass instruments. One of the heavier songs, “The Man From San Sebastian” even uses an accordion in the main riff. If you like indie rock, 100 Lovers is definitely an album worth checking out.

 

Elbow
Build a Rocket Boys!

Build a Rocket Boys! takes Elbow’s sound to a more theatrical level. The results are mixed, as the pseudo-operatic vocals, large harmonies, and orchestral arrangements sometimes distract from the indie rock that Elbow has perfected over the years. However, that core sound is still there, and occasionally Elbow’s ambitious songwriting pays off. Unlike a lot of indie bands that sound forced, the passion of Elbow can be heard throughout. Even amongst the often cluttered instrumentals, there is a strong human element that shines through, and that makes this a treat to listen to.

 

Portugal. The Man
In the Mountain in the Cloud

Portugal. The Man’s major label debut is every bit as good as their independent releases. Much like on past albums, there is a theme to In the Mountain in the Clouds, and stylistically the album is very different from anything the group has done before while still retaining distinct elements of the sound. The vocals are still high and mostly in falsetto, but the music this time around is largely influenced by 70’s psychedelic pop. As such, there are tons of catchy melodies, atmospheric arrangements, and plenty of psychedelic sounds littered throughout the album. It’s maybe a little simpler than past records, but it’s still Portugal. The Man. That is to say, the music is catchy, creative, and even experimental. Portugal. The Man continue to progress, and while In the Mountain in the Cloud is far from their most memorable release, it’s one of the best and most original indie rock albums of the year.

 

Radiohead
The King of Limbs

While shorter and less revolutionary than many fans were expecting, Radiohead’s The King of Limbs is nonetheless a great album. Stylistically, it has more in common with Kid A than In Rainbows, as most of the tracks are closer to electronic than rock. Radiohead are quite good at that though, and there are some real highlights here. “Give Up the Ghost” makes great use of layering to create a haunting and atmospheric sound. The single “Lotus Flower” is also exceptional, and strikes a perfect balance between being a catchy rock song and a sort of Flying Lotus-inspired dance track. Moments like those could only be created by Radiohead, and even though it’s not as consistent as what we’ve come to expect, this is 35 minutes of quality and occasionally excellent music.

 

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
Mirror Traffic

After the sonic jam-fest that was Real Emotional Trash, Stephen Malkmus and company have returned with a slower, more laid back, and more straightforward indie rock album. Mlalkmus is best known as being the frontman of legendary rock band Pavement, and Mirror Traffic is the closest the Jicks have gotten to matching Pavement’s sound. In a way that’s a little disappointing, as the Jicks were just beginning to find their own sound, one that was heavier and more chaotic than Malkmus’ former group. Mirror Traffic is still a smart and focused album though, and it sees a more mature Stephen Malkmus dealing with political and social issues in a way that only he could. It’s hard to say where the Jicks will go from here, but they’ve made another solid album, albeit a much a tamer one than fans might expect.

 

Thurston Moore
Demolished Thoughts

Demolished Thoughts is a very interesting album from the frontman of Sonic Youth. The music here is far from being noise rock, as Moore has taken a mellow and contemporary approach. Most of the guitars are acoustic, although it’s far from a singer/songwriter record. There are plenty of other instruments used, including different types of string and percussion, and Moore’s rough voice still has the same passionate feel as it does in Sonic Youth. Despite being mellow, Demolished Thoughts has a heavy feel to it, and any beauty it creates is dark and melancholy. It shows a different side of an incredibly creative and talented musician, and it’s quite possibly the best album Moore has been a part of in well over a decade.

 

TV on the Radio
Nine Types of Light

While slightly more mellow than past TV on the Radio albums, Nine Types of Light is an artistic triumph and a natural evolution for the band’s sound. There are numerous subtle touches that reward careful listening, and it’s catchy and unique enough for those who just want a straight up rock album. The album starts with the incredible “Second Song,” which opens slowly and builds to an epic atmospheric ending. That song is one of the best of the band’s career, and it’s far from the only highlight on Nine Types of Light. The album as a whole progresses brilliantly, and a movie that TV on the Radio released online shows an alternative order for the tracks that makes the music progress in a different but equally interesting way. It’s clear that a great deal of time and attention has been put into making Nine Types of Light, and it’s paid dividends. This is a varied and consistently entertaining rock album that cements TV on the Radio’s place as one of the elite creative forces in music today.

 

The Twilight Singers
Dynamite Step

One of the best storytellers in rock music, Greg Dulli has outdone himself with Dynamite Step. The latest from The Twilight Singers is a dark and beautiful work of art that is catchy and emotionally gripping in equal measure. Dynamite Steps revels in atmosphere, mostly of the dark variety, and it has a more varied and complete sound form the entire band. This is an album that doesn’t just rely on Dulli’s voice and lyrics to convey its story, but has some strong instrumentation and interesting arrangements. Subtle touches like string instruments being introduced in the background halfway through a song and changes in how the vocals are filtered make this a deep album musically, and the same attention to detail can found in Dulli’s lyrics. This is a great album and the best yet from The Twilight Singers.

 

Wild Flag
Wild Flag

Wild Flag may be the closest Sleater-Kinney fans ever get to a new album from trio. For some it’s enough just to hear Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss together again, even if Corin Tucker’s trademark vocals are nowhere to be found. Others will have a hard time looking past the Sleater-Kinney similarities and will loose interest in this new project quickly. What’s here is far too similar to classic Sleater-Kinney to avoid the comparisons, but Wild Flag is still worth a listen for any indie fan. The music is aggressive in all the right ways, and Mary Timony does an adequate job of filling Tucker’s void.

2011 HBG- Power/Symphonic/Folk Metal

Sections:
-Introduction
-Rock
-Hip Hop
-Melodeath/Thrash/Sludge Metal
-Electronic
-Power/Symphonic/Folk Metal
-Alternative/Indie Rock
-Progressive
-Hardcore
-Death Metal
-Black Metal
-Ambient/Post-Rock
-Gothic/Industrial/Darkwave
-Folk- Coming Soon
-Doom Metal- Coming Soon
-Experimental- Coming Soon

 

While these subgenres of metal are often combined with each other, power, symphonic, and folk metal all had very different years. Power metal was well represented and included a return to form by one of the genre’s biggest fans. Symphonic metal had, well, Nightwish, and folk metal had a number of outstanding releases in 2011.

 

Anubis Gate
Anubis Gate

Instead of hiring a new vocalist after the departure of the second singer, the progressive power metal band has decided to let bassist and backing singer Henrik Fevre handle lead vocal duties. It may seem like a strange choice, but it’s probably the right one for Anubis Gate going forward. Fevre has a strong voice, albeit one without a ton of range, and he works well with the melodic riffs and fast solos on the band’s self-titled release. There’s not as much variety here as on other Anubis Gate albums, but the sound that the band works with, a pretty even mix of progressive and power metal, is entertaining throughout. If you like melodic metal, Anubis Gate’s latest is definitely worth a listen.

 

Charred Walls of the Damned
Cold Winds on Timeless Days

Featuring three former members of Iced Earth, including ex-vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens, Charred Walls of the Damned are a power metal band with a surprisingly heavy and original sound. Their guitars are fast, the vocals are as powerful as fans of Owens have come to expect, but there are some a number of extreme metal elements that make Cold Winds on Timeless Days more than an Iced Earth-esque album. There are times when the band will break into pure thrash metal, and even borderline death metal. This makes their sound harsher and far more varied than their contemporaries, and that combined with the talent of the musicians make this one of the best power metal albums of 2011.

 

Dukhi Predkov
Terra Ursorum

There is something about Middle Eastern folk that just works with heavy metal. Russian metal band Dukhi Predkov embrace a wide variety of folk influences, and make use of a number of different instrumentals. Throughout the course of the album, the usual metal instrumentals are accompanied by string and woodwind instruments, as well as the mixing of both male and female singing and extreme metal growling. The sound can be overwhelming at times, and there are some segments that move on too quickly, but fans of folk metal looking for something new in the genre can’t do much better than Terra Usorum. This is as unique and varied of an album as anything folk metal has seen in years.

 

Iced Earth
Dystopia

Maybe the biggest surprise of 2011, Iced Earth have returned with a new vocalist and their best album in over a decade. Stu Block, former Into Eternity frontman, is an incredibly talented singer who’s chaotic style makes him a strange fit with a power metal band stuck in the 90’s. The combination works though, as Block as helped inject some life into Iced Earth’s sound. Instrumentally, there isn’t a whole lot that’s changed. The band still knows how to play their instruments, and there are some solid riffs, but for the most part its predictable without quite treading into boring territory. Again though, Stu Block, is the reason to listen. His vocal performance makes Dystopia into a far more unpredictable record, and one that is more entertaining than it has any right to be. It’s interesting to hear Block sing and scream over more steady and typical power metal, and Dystopia finds the right balance between familiar and experimental. It’s easily the best and most listenable album Iced Earth have put out in years.

 

Moonsorrow
Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa

Epic, heavy, and beautiful all at once, Moonsorrow’s Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maass is another great release from one of folk metal’s finest bands. There are essentially four songs here, all of which are over 10 minutes in length and are connected by unnecessary interludes. The songs all feel epic and incredibly powerful by the time they end, although it’s somewhat overwhelming to listen to the album as a whole. Each track sounds like the closer of an album, or even a full album condensed into 12-16 minutes. The music here is also noticeably heavier than most other folk metal, especially in the vocals. The vast majority are black metal growls, and there are moments where the music turns into pure atmospheric black metal. Those segments are the most memorable, but that’s in part because Moonsorrow build up to them so well. The folk influences are such a staple part of the sound that when removed in the middle of a long piece of music makes the pure black parts all the more powerful. The production is also influenced by black metal, namely in its lo-fi approach. This is unfortunate, as the non-black metal parts sound too constrained with that style of production. Finding the right way to produce is always tricky when combining so many different styles into a single track. So while it’s unfortunate, it’s easy to forgive and consequently recommend Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa.

 

Nightwish
Imaginaerum

If there’s one thing Nightwish cannot be accused of, it’s doing the same thing over and over again, contrary to what many of their fans want. Anette Olzon is the still the vocalist, and much like on Nightwish’s last album, she gives a solid but unspectacular performance that works for the direction the band has taken. This would be very different music had the more operatic Tarja Turunen stayed with them, and I admit that I’d be curious to hear what Imaginaerum would sound like with her. The focus here is less on the vocals, however, and more on the arrangements. This is some of Nightwish’s most ambitious work to date, and while it doesn’t come close to reaching its full potential, the strong moments outshine its shortcomings. Few other metal bands have the resources necessary to pull off an album like this one, as there are orchestras, choirs, and plenty of instruments not usually found in this type of music. Tuomas Holopainen has the vision to create a full orchestral album in the style of heavy metal, and this is more his work than any Nightwish album before it. Some of the non-metal elements are over-the-top and stick out too much to fit within Imaginaerum’s narrative, and as such it doesn’t flow as seamlessly as it could have. Still, there are moments when this ambitious piece of theatrical music works, and those moments make Imaginaerum worth listening to.

 

Primordial
Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand

Primordial only continue to evolve. The folk metal band mixes atmospheric black metal into their sound to create to epic and varied metal songs, and their sound only continues to become more refined with each new album. Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand is a powerful record that is both heavy and melodic, and has a beautiful dark atmosphere. The vocals are harsh while still being clear, and the instrumentals are varied and almost progressive at times. Taken as a whole, this is an epic and even breathtaking album, and it takes its folk metal influences seriously. You don’t need to be a fan of folk metal to appreciate this album, and anyone with an interest in atmospheric music should give it a listen.

 

Symphony X
Iconoclast

More Symphony X is never a bad thing. After a string of outstanding albums, Iconoclast is somewhat tame by comparison, but even Symphony X at their least progressive still makes for an incredible listen. The talent in this band is unreal, but they avoid simply showing off. The mix of progressive, symphonic, and power metal continues to work brilliantly, and Symphony X have a great deal of variety. The songs are fast and heavy while remaining melodic and even catchy at times. There are more keyboards than on their last album, Paradise Lost, but for the most part Iconoclast stays close to the sound of the that album. The first and last tracks are long epics, but nothing quite on the level of early Symphony X. That may disappoint prog fans, but anyone with an appreciation for power and symphonic metal, or even just heavy music with an insane amount of technicality will find a great album here.

 

Týr
The Lay of Thyrm

With power metal, there is a fine line between epic and cheesy. Týr is a band that has belonged to both categories, but The Lay of Thyrm lies fully in the former. This is an epic power metal album with fast and melodic riffs, tons of great solos, soaring vocals, and badass lyrics that blend fantasy and Norse mythology. This is the soundtrack to marching into a Norse battle, and it’s a hell of a ride. There are also strong folk elements here, and Týr does a great job of incorporating them into the epic power metal core without overdoing them. The Lay of Thyrm is an album that begs for headbanging, and it’s a reminder that fantasy themed power metal with high-pitched vocals can be epic and brutal.

 

Vintersorg
Jordpuls

Vintersorg’s Jordpuls is the a perfect example of what folk metal should be. It’s fun without being silly or over-the-top, and it’s catchy without being poppy. This is an album that puts an emphasis on both the “folk” and the “metal,” the latter being especially noticeable in the main riffs. Vintersorg also established himself as a more than capable singer, and he is a competent growler as well, but his real strength is as a songwriter. He takes most notably from black metal, but also from more melodic metal, and of course there are plenty of folk influences. Jordpuls is an album that a wide array of influences, and it never does the same thing twice. This is a largely unpredictable album, but not a chaotic or overwhelming one, and it’s easy one to recommend to metalheads.

2011 HBG- Electronic

Sections:
-Introduction
-Rock
-Hip Hop
-Melodeath/Thrash/Sludge Metal
-Electronic
-Power/Symphonic/Folk Metal
-Alternative/Indie Rock
-Progressive
-Hardcore
-Death Metal
-Black Metal
-Ambient/Post-Rock
-Gothic/Industrial/Darkwave
-Folk- Coming Soon
-Doom Metal- Coming Soon
-Experimental- Coming Soon

 

It’s no secret that electronic music is turning into a mainstream phenomenon, but the types of electronic that have been exposed to the masses make up a pretty small portion of what the genre can do. While dubstep and electro-house have elevated to the top of the charts, the quality electronic music in 2011 was found more in downtempo, trip-hop, and in plenty of albums that mixed multiple styles of electronic. After looking back on the many great releases of the past year, these are 10 I feel best represent electronic music in 2011.

 

Aes Dana
Perimeters

There gets to a point listening to Perimeters where you just have to sit back and close your eyes. Aes Dana has crafted a beautiful atmospheric album that tells a story through its varied and ever changing soundscapes. There is a great sense of motion here, as the songs will often have a constant drum beat while other sounds will pop in, create tension, and break it. The long, often cinematic tracks can last longer than ten minutes, and by the end a wide of variety of emotions have been displayed through an equally wide variety of sounds and influences. Elements of trance, ambient, industrial, and other forms of electronic are present, and they are used brilliantly. Aes Dana still has a way to go before catching labelmates Carbon Based Lifeforms, but fans of ambient electronic should take notice. This is a strong album, and one of the best electronic releases of 2011.

 

Balam Acab
Wander / Wonder

“Witch house” in its very nature is a dark genre of music. Anytime drone and darkwave make up the roots, you can be sure there will be a certain level of dark atmosphere. Wander / Wonder is a dark in spots, but it also has moments of light that contrast it. Much like its artwork, this is beautiful music that has been covered with dark atmosphere. Balam Acab perfects the atmospheric qualities of his music, making each side of the contrast blend together at the right times. The beats themselves are also impressive, as they sound like downtempo electronic being played through a filter. It can sometimes get repetitive, which is always an issue when working passively with ambient music, but for the most part the beats build enough to stay engaging. What ultimately prevents Wander / Wonder from living up to its potential is the inconsistent quality of the vocal samples. Many of the voices used are incredibly high-pitched, which sometimes works while other times puts too much emphasis on the vocals. With the incredible job of filtering that Balam Acab has done, the voices just don’t fit too much of the time. Wander / Wonder is still a very good album, however, and certainly a promising debut.

 

Beats Antique
Elektrafone

I’ve never liked the term “world music.” It’s too broad and says more about the location than any real aspect of the music. In the case of Beats Antique, however, that term is a necessary descriptor. Elektrafone is an electric album at its core, but it’s been injected with a heavy dose of “world” music. This ranges from Middle Eastern belly dancing to African jazz, and it works brilliantly. There’s not a lot of subtlety to Beats Antique’s music, as the influences are thrown right into the forefront. There are songs with afro-beat drums being played over dustep-like bass, and it helps that part of the music is performed with live instruments while others are sampled. Elektrafone is a lively and chaotic record, and that’s definitely a good thing. Beats Antique know how to play a wide range of music and mix it all together without one part dominating another. The music is heavy at times, melodic at others, and it all comes together to form a spectacular and utterly unique collection of songs.

 

Blue Sky Black Death
Noir

It is not often that an album leaves me speechless on first listen. More than ten listens later, I still can’t wrap my mind around the beauty that is Noir. Every listen brings out and more subtleties, to the point where I doubt there any producers in hip-hop or electronic music who put as many layers or think their music through as well as Blue Sky Black Death. Every sample, every note, and every sound is precisely placed and simply perfect. Stylistically, Noir picks up where Blue Sky Black Death’s last trip-hop album, Late Night Cinema, left off. The music is comprised of hip-hop beats turned into beautiful cinematic soundscapes, taking what DJ Shadow did with Endtroducing… and building upon that foundation like few others have. This the album every hip-hop fan imagined when they first heard what could be done with hip-hop production. Everything is perfectly clean, and the atmosphere of the music is indescribably brilliant. Subtle touches like a quick vocal sample, or the return of a sound previously used on the album, work to great effect to bring the album as a whole to life. This is not just a collection of beats, but a full cinematic piece of music split into scenes. I can’t recommend Noir highly enough. This is as good of an album as I’ve ever heard, and every lover of music deserves to hear it.

 

Cybo
Echoespond

Already one of the most extraordinary new producers in electronic music, Cybo has outdone herself with Echoespond. This is an album that could only be made by an artist who truly loves making music, and it’s an absolute treat to listen to beautiful atmospheric electronic music rich with the kind of passion found here. The music combines elements of Aphex Twin-like idm (intelligent dance music), industrial, ambient, and electro. Cybo has done a masterful job of weaving her influences together to create a truly unique and captivating sound, and her gorgeous vocals give the music an extra layer of atmosphere. Echoespond is the type of album that can be recommended to any music lover, even those without prior interest in electronic. It’s just a spectacular album from start to finish, varied and beautiful throughout.

 

Ghosts of Paraguay
Silent Souls

Ghosts of Paraguay sounds a lot like Burial, but that’s far from a bad thing. If there’s one dubstep producer to base your sound off of, it’s hard to pick a better one, as well as one more difficult to duplicate. Obviously Silent Souls doesn’t hold a candle to Burial's work, but that’s not to say that Silent Souls is nothing more than a poor man’s Untrue. The songs here are just as atmospheric, but in a much lighter way. There are some nice vocal samples, and some instrumental beats that are breathtaking. It goes without saying that Ghosts of Paraguay needs to branch out more if he’s going to continue this style, but it’s interesting to hear an upbeat take on ambient dubstep. And no, don’t expect any high frequency wobbles or “filthy” drops. This is dubstep in its more subtle and less popular form, and Silent Souls will appeal more to fans of downtempo electronic than wobble bass.

 

Long Arm
The Branches

It’s been proven time and time again that jazz and trip-hop make for a great combination. Long Arm’s debut album is one of the best examples of that in recent memory. The way that everything flows on The Branches is outstanding, as the lively and sample heavy trip-hop is aided by some gorgeous jazz sections. All of it mixes together smoothly, especially when the hip-hop drums, vocal samples, and jazz instruments come together. There are also moments of ambience that make for a nice contrast from the generally active main sections. Long Arm isn’t afraid to mix styles, but again, it all flows. It’s rare that a producer who mixes as many different types of music in a short amount of time does so with as much success as this one. It works because Long Arm keeps the jazzy trip-hop sound throughout, and while not every sound works as well it could have, he always has that to fall back on. Overall The Branches is a very strong debut album, and one of the most recommendable trip-hop/jazz hybrids out there.

 

Pogo
Wonderpuff

Already a favorite among electronic fans, Pogo has made a name for himself by creating beautiful electronic tracks with samples from famous (often Disney) films. It’s remarkable what this man can do with his samples, and Wonderpuff is a more subtle but undeniably impressive example of that. Pogo will use non-musical samples and incorporate it into the main melody. In the past it’s been easy to tell that all of the music is coming from the same source, essentially being remixed, but here the less recognizable sources make it almost impossible to spot without knowledge of how Pogo makes his beats. This may not give listeners the same satisfaction as his famous track “Alice,” but for the most part the music flows a lot better. Towards the end Wonderpuff does start to lose steam, as variety isn’t necessarily Pogo’s strongest attribute, but there’s enough high quality electronic here to earn a strong recommendation. Pogo is one insanely talented producer, and any electronic fan not yet familiar with his skills should start with his Wonderland EP and then give Wonderpuff a listen. As a whole, this may be his strongest work to date.

 

Stendeck
Scintilla

Stendeck first impressed me with his mixing of ambient and industrial on 2009’s Sonnambula. The way that the heavy industrial sounds clashed with the beautiful ambient soundscapes was brilliantly done, and unlike anything I had heard before. Scintilla is the latest from Stendeck, and while that contrast is still present throughout the album, much of it is more streamlined. This is really an IDM album, influenced as much by late 90’s dance music as it is industrial and ambient. It works well though, as Stendeck is clearly a focused producer who knows where he wants his music to end up. There’s never a moment where the music sounds forced, and everything builds naturally. That’s not an easy accomplishment, especially when you consider the stark contrast in light and heavy that’s found on Scintilla. This is the kind of electronic music that impresses on both a technical and creative level, and it’s the most consistent album of this great producer’s career. It may not make the same impression as his previous release, but it’s still an essential listen for fans of electronic and industrial.

 

Tycho
Dive

Tycho’s Dive is both upbeat and downtempo at the same. This is beautiful soft electronic music with a light atmosphere and strong psychedelic influences. Acoustic guitars, synths, and drum beats make up the bulk of the music, but Tycho takes them in interesting directions. It’s clear that Tycho has a wide variety of influences, and he does a commendable job of simplifying them into a straightforward and often strikingly beautiful package. There aren’t many surprises, but you can’t ask for anything more than gorgeous beats that are accessible to just about anyone. Dive isn’t necessarily a masterful album, but it’s the kind of record that any music fan can listen to and get something out of.