The original run stretched to about 3 months straight before getting sidelined by work, play and other stresses, but I enjoyed every day of it and hope to get back into working on it on a consistent basis in the future. After all, we only got to Day 80, that leaves 285 more days, bands and albums.
I've gone through the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and I've yet to conclude my 15 Favorite Metal Jams for this past year, but now is time for the important one - and the god damn fucking longest one: Jay's Top 20 Favorite Metal Albums for 2011.
I had to restart this process a couple times after forgetting an album here and there, so the end result may be a bit... intriguing.
And because of the sheer length of this post when it was finished, I decided to break it in two. Today will feature my choices from #20 to #11, and I will put up my choices for #10 to #1 on Friday January 13th.
So how about we get this started, shall we?
Genre: Symphonic Death Metal
Septicflesh has a long history of creating high quality symphonic death metal. Their first release since Communion in 2008 is rousing and powerful, and for the second time features the Philharmonic Orchestra of Prague. As I mentioned when I featured this album in October, the orchestral arrangements are all done by guitarist Christos Antoniou who has a Masters degree in Concert Music, just to give you an idea of how full circle the band tries to bring its craft.
Favorite Tracks: The Vampire From Nazareth, Mad Architect, A Great Mass of Death, Five Pointed Star, and Pyramid God
Genre: Sludge Metal
This is a record that squeezed under the radar for quite a lot of people but is in fact one of the better sludge metal records of the year - in fact, it's my favorite, despite my fanboism for Mastodon, as evidence later. An Ache for the Distance is another great recording from the Profound Lore record label, which is fast becoming one of my new favorite labels for discovering more obscure or lesser known talent. The Atlas Moth has now joined the ranks of my favored genre.
Favorite Tracks: Coffin Varnish, Holes in the Desert, and An Ache for the Distance
Genre: Death Metal
If it weren't for my love of one other death metal record this year, Carnival is Forever would have easily been my choice for favorite of the genre. The band was put back in motion by guitarist Vogg in 2009 following the hiatus caused by the accident which claimed the life of his brother and drummer Vitek, and left original vocalist Covan temporarily in a coma. Covan would eventually withdraw from the group because of his slow recovery. The newest recording, by the most recent incarnation of the group stays true to the bands previous work, and continues to give the genre that sense of renewed vigor that their original recordings gave to death metal as a whole. The instrumental outro track Silence, is also a great touch.
Favorite Tracks: The Knife, Homo Sun, Pest, 404, and Silence.
Genre: Progressive / Metalcore
It's a shame that one of the first victims of the seemingly consistent new year break-up/hiatus syndrome would have to be The Human Abstract. Digital Veil was one of the finer records of the year, and really brought back swarms of the bands original fans after the return of lead guitarist A.J. Minette. Their vocalist Travis Richter left early this fall, prior to their end of year touring schedule, which did not seem to hinder the group at all - but just recently the band announced their status as being on hiatus. The record is packed full of virtuoso musicianship, technicality and genuine awesomeness, but its short length left a little to be desired.
Favorite Tracks: Faust, Digital Veil, Antebellum, and Complex Terms
Genre: Instrumental / Progressive
Animals As Leaders started as a solo project by guitarist Tosin Abasi with the self-recording of the debut self-titled album. After adding guitarist Javier Reyes and drummer Navene Koperweis, and touring with all genres and flavors of acts, the band began recording their follow-up. Weightless is more tame in comparison to the self-produced debut, but truly shows off the prowess of the group as a whole, whereas the debut was created uniquely by Abasi and with some engineering help from Misha Mansoor. Weightless features a larger emphasis on effects, but the heaviness, technicality and the sweep-frenzy guitar skills of Abasi remain a mainstay in the package.
Favorite Tracks: Somnarium, Cylindrical Sea, An Infinite Regression, and Weightless
Genre: Sludge Metal
Some people thought it was a bit lackluster in comparison to Crack the Skye, others thought it was the bee's knees. Fact stands Mastodon seems to never follow a specific suit when creating a record. They keep their core sound and elements, but always manage to create something a little different with each recording. The Hunter is probably their most 'main-stream' friendly record to date, but it still packs the punch and carries the intrinsic 'Mastodon-style' quality that I've come to love from the group. Tracks like Blasteroid show off that Brent Hinds continues to love screaming about his favorite thing - Blood. Meanwhile tracks like Stargasm, Octopus Has No Friends and The Sparrow continue where the band has progressed with previous records, and takes it one step further. Haters gonna hate; this album still kicks ass.
Favorite Tracks: Blasteroid, Stargasm, The Sparrow, Octopus Has No Friends, and Dry Bone Valley
Genre: Progressive Death Metal / Metalcore
I covered this band in October on 365 Days of Metal, and how I had discovered them when they were still known as Tight Rope. The band members all met at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and have since carved a following for themselves. Their debut self-produced EP was number 5 on my EP's list last year, and they've managed to take in a spot on my top 20 LP's for this year. Witness is a record jam packed full of progressive, heavy riffs, technicality and well laid out vocal work. The only thing that is a true shame about this band, is the fact that they continue to be unsigned. A record label should do themselves a favor and pick these guys up already.
Favorite Tracks: No One Left, Terraform, Immolator, Legion Atrophic, and Empyrean
Genre: Black Metal / Thrash
The lords of 'Metal as Fuck' album artwork have returned to grace us with not only another metal as fuck piece of cover art, but their best recording yet. Skeletonwitch is one of those bands that manages to fuse a certain pair of genres together and continue to make it sound better and better with each outing. Forever Abomination has a much higher production quality compared to their previous record Breathing the Fire and this goes a long way to making their heavy, fast-paced music sound both raw and crisp. Forever Abomination puts the pedal to the metal from the first track and doesn't hold back.
Favorite Tracks: This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill), The Infernal Ressurection, Cleaver of Souls, and Shredding Sacred Flesh
Genre: Thrash / Technical Death Metal
The newest Revocation album compiles the best elements of thrash, death metal and technicality, and glazes on a healthy dosage of flying guitar solo's from front man David Davidson in order to create not only their best record to date, but one of the more memorable records of the year. Chaos of Forms is a lot groovier than I originally expected, and treads less down the path of technical death metal, but still keeps it present throughout the album. The guitar work is again where the album really comes together, as Davidson brings out his mixed bag of aggressive shredding, soft melodies and dynamic solos, without overshadowing his band mates.
Favorite Tracks: No Funeral, Cradle Robber, Chaos of Forms and Reprogrammed
Genre: Progressive Metal
It was three years prior when Textures released their last album, and in between lost lead vocalist Eric Kalsbeek. The question on many people's minds was whether Textures newest iteration would continue along the same vein as their previous work and if new front man Daniel de Jongh could steal the show. Verdict? Yes he can, and yes they did. Dualism continues the groovy, technical traditions that Textures has become known for, and de Jongh's vocal work impresses on every level, whether it be on his clean highs or his screams. The record boasts an hour of great, inspired tracks, each of which are suitable for a number of different moods. Their live performance on the Frak the Gods Tour this fall was also for lack of a better word, amazing.
Favorite Tracks: Sanguine Draws the Oath, Reaching Home, Stoic Resignation, and Singularity
If you read this far, don't forget to check out my choices for #10 through #1.
- J
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