My whole “Every year is a good year for music” continues, though there were a few more caveats in 2018 than I’d have liked. I won’t name or shame because I want this to be a positive little post, but it is disappointing when an album you’re excited for winds up being … fine. Fine is for settlers, and I am not a settler but an adventurer! Actually, that doesn’t make any sense, especially given how much radio-friendly stuff I bought this year. Whatever. More on that in a bit.
On the reverse, my 2018 live experiences were some of the best I’ve ever had. Wintersun, Godsmack, Trivium, Ne Obliviscarus, Aranda, Bobaflex, Nonpoint, the list goes on! My mantra of, “go see live music” also continues, but with more shouting than normal. Seriously! Go see live music!
So with that being said, onto my favorite albums of 2018.
10 Dimmu Borgir – Eonian
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
Eonian is Nightwish meets, I dunno, Cradle of Filth or something. It’s a strange sound but one I’m totally hooked on. Sonically, this is one of the more interesting albums I stumbled upon this year: big orchestral synths, gross lizard vocals, and elements of honest-to-god post black metal too. It’s worth a look if you want a strange mix of parts that gel really well for reasons I cannot explain. Just don’t forget to hail Satan before you begin.
Standout tracks are “Interdimensional Summit,” “The Empyreon Phoenix,and “Archiac Correspondence.”
9 The Homeland Conspiracy – You Are Being Lied To
Genre: Rock
The Homeland Conspiracy (THC, get it?) are one of those hard rock groups that bring grit and attitude back to the genre. In some cases it’s raw and unrefined, and in some cases, it isn’t even pleasant, but it’s loud and completely unsafe. It’s a big middle finger to mainstream rock sounds. If you’re stuck in an area listening to radio DJ’s playing pop music and calling it rock, then check these guys out for a pallet cleanser. You’ll have a good time.
Standout tracks are “Nicolais Ghost,” “See You In the Morning,” and “River Killer.”
8 Shylmagoghnar – Transience
Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Continuing on with more extreme metal, Shylmagoghnar are here to deliver a band name that’s almost impossible to pronounce! The music is dark and massive, with long songs peppered with Lovecraftian imagery and a lead guitar tone that’s as wonderful as it is scary. Each song has a sense of sorrow to it that most bands can’t even come close to hitting, yet these guys make it sound easy. This is the kind of music you can work to or just put on while it’s storming out. It sets a hellova mood.
Standout tracks are “This Shadow of the Heart,” “Transience,” and “No Child of Man Could Follow.”
7 Disturbed – Evolution
Genre: Metal/Hard Rock
Evolution is … well, what it says it is. Embracing the success of their “Sound of Silence” cover, Disturbed have released an album that isn’t afraid to slow down or even feature a ballad. It’s a breath of fresh air, because while I’ll always show up for their normal rocking metal tunes, I love that the band are showcasing some range, both emotionally and sonically. I’m getting older, and not every song needs to heavy distortion and anger. Though there’s plenty of that here too.
Standout tracks are “No More,” “The Best Ones Lie,” and “In Another Time.”
6 Mike Shinoda – Post Traumatic
Genre: Alternative
Hey, look, it’s another album where the title is basically what you can expect of the music: A strong, mournful album about dealing with loss and every messy, gross, and frustrating emotion that comes along for the ride. The songs vary from rap to pop to bits and pieces of both genres, but the center core is always there. How do you deal with loss? How do you pretend to be okay? Is it okay to feel happy even though you don’t think you deserve it? It’s an exceptionally humane album, and while Mike’s inspirations for it are very personal to him, the execution is something anyone can relate to.
Standout tracks are “Ghosts,” “Can’t Hear You Now,” and “Watching as I Fall.”
5 Auri – Auri
Genre: ???
Auri are a hard group to place, the brainchild of Tuomas Holopainen, Johanna Kurkela, and Troy Donockley. They call the project celestial metal, but to me it’s more a collection of dark lullabies. Each song sounds like something you could fall asleep to, yet each song also takes you on a journey that’s as tense as it is gorgeous. I’m not sure I’ll ever know what genre this kind of music is, but it’s amazing and I hope Auri continue making more of it.
Standout tracks are “I Hope Your World is Kind,” “The Space Between,” and “Night 13.”
4 Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Where Owls Know My Name is an absolutely amazing piece of musicianship, a spectacle of distortion and screaming. Also their drummer might be an octopus. And just when you think you got them down, they throw in some prog elements like a saxophone solo or hooking a cello up to a guitar amp. Hell, they even throw some cleaning singing in! The band aren’t afraid to experiment, and their technical chops are so on point that every little thing they try just works.
Standout tracks are “The Silent Life,” “Death is Real,” and “Where Owls Know My Name.”
3 Shinedown – Attention Attention
Genre: Rock
Hey look! Shinedown made my list again! I love Shinedown. A lot. This new album is pretty rad in that it tiptoes back to their older sound, with a bit less pop elements and more guitars and volume. It’s a straight rocker, and Brent Smith is a goddamned vocal god. I’ve a feeling a highlight of 2019 will be seeing them. Possibly twice given that Rockfest hasn’t announced its lineup yet. I hope I get to see them twice.
Standout tracks are “Black Soul,” “Brilliant,” and “Special.”
2 Cypecore – Alliance
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Cypecore were my biggest surprise the year. They play my favorite style of death metal, and they do it with a manic precision unlike any other. I don’t really know what that means. If you’ve made it this far, you should know that I’m bad at talking about music. But it doesn’t matter because Cypecore rule! Seriously give this one a go. The songs are catchy as hell, loud, angry, kind of violent, and doused in this dystopian setting that works wonders for the band.
Standout tracks are “The Alliance,” “Dissatisfactory,” and “Values of Death.”
1 Godsmack – When Legends Rise
Genre: Hard Rock
Hey look! Godsmack made my list again! And first place too! Again! Yeah, they’re my favorite band and anything they do I’m probably going to like with an irrational fervor, but they really did do a great job this year. It’s very rare that a band can go, “We’re going to try a more commercial sound” and then nail it. Like with Disturbed, I love the seeing a softer side to the band, both sonically and emotionally. It just makes them feel like real people and not these caricatures writing the same songs over and over. But even then, there’s still plenty of hard rock to be found, especially in the latter half of the album. It’s still Godsmack, just with, you know, a ballad. That ballad might be one of their best songs too. People gotta stop fearing the ballad!
Standout tracks are “Under Your Scars,” “Unforgettable,” and “Let it Out.”
Nonsense 