Maybe there are just no bad years for music. I think this is my fifth installment of “Top ten albums of XXXX,” and every year just adds to the pile of new records, new bands, and new concerts. 2019 was a treat in that I got to see Shinedown twice, The Struts for the first time, Bobaflex again, and Nightwish again. Also a bunch of other bands! For albums, it’s been a lot of brand new stuff. Y’all ever listen to Disentomb?
You should.
I also released an album of my own! So before we begin, consider this a shameless plug for Follow the Witch by Inonum. It’s melodic deathmetal with a garageband mix! So you know, fun composition that tries really hard.
Now, on with the best albums of 2019!
10 Avril Lavigne – Head Above Water
Genre: Pop
Starting off with something a bit out of left field, but the heart wants what the heart wants. Head Above Water is another example of a pop artist releasing something different—think Rainbow by Kesha and Joanne by Lady Gaga. It drops the commercial pop sound for something more raw and emotional, yet it still retains some of that fun, dancy … popness too. Head Above Water is a chill record then, one with hints of gospel and country influences, but it isn’t afraid to have fun either. I’m a fan. Woosh woosh. That is the sound fans make!
Standout tracks are Bigger Wow and Head Above Water
9 The Dark Element – Songs the Night Sings
Genre: Symphonic Metal
If you’ve read any of my end-of-year lists before, you know I’m a sucker for symphonic metal. Give me big and epic and wild, and I’m going to be happy. Songs the Night Sings does pretty much exactly that, and it brings Annette Olson of Nightwish fame back into the spotlight too. God I love her. What sets The Dark Element apart from other symphonic metal bands is that the guitar feels more in the forefront, but also, there are some pop elements to the song writing. Thing big, catchy pre-choruses.
Standout tracks are The Pallbearer Walks Alone and Songs the Night Sings
8 Shadow of Intent – Melancholy
Genre: Deathcore
Hey, the best deathcore group is back, and this time they’ve thrown a few black metal influences into the mix. Melancholy has a bigger focus on mood and tone than the band’s previous two albums, but the amazing composition is still there. This isn’t pure brutality for the sake of it; there’s a reason for everything. Ben Deurr also continues to be the best in the business, only this time, his vocals are mixed just a bit lower to let the guitar and drums poke through better. Couple that with a ten minute instrumental at the end, and you’ve got yourself a slamming piece of music.
Standout tracks are Dirge of the Void and Malediction
7 Eluveitie – Ategnatos
Genre: Folk Death Metal
Ah, the band that’s harder to spell and even harder to say! The pattern to my tastes is largely big, epic songs with plenty of layers, and this nine-piece death metal thing is all about that. You got screams, cleans, flutes, a hurdy-gurdy, guitars, more guitars, killer drums, and a guest appearance by Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. The songs are all inspired by folklore, so lyrically they’re killer, but what continues to blow me away is how well everything sounds together. This is a BIG piece of music, yet everything is crystal clear. The songs run the gamut from super catchy to super brutal to super atmospheric, so there’s always something new just around the corner.
Standout tracks are Worship and Ambiramus
6 Beast in Black – From Hell with Love
Genre: Power Metal
Beast in Black are quickly cementing themselves as one of my favorite new bands. Their sophomore album continues the trend of “we don’t write bad songs,” only it throws in some heavy 80’s inspiration on top. It’s not full-blown disco, but also, I’m typing the word disco on a top-ten music list. Like everything above and below, the songs are epic, though in this case, they’re also just a bit cheesy. It wouldn’t be good power metal without that though. And Yannis, holy god can that man sing. I hope y’all are ready to cry out for a hero, because I found one.
Standout tracks are Heart of Steel and Die By the Blade
5 Taylor Swift – Lover
Genre: Pop
On this year’s second installment of “What the hell is this doing here?” the new Taylor Swift album is great. It’s fun and colorful and catchy, and I really like the experiments with more synthbased pop . It’s the kind of album where every song gets stuck in your head, and you just kind of have to put up with the cacophony of silky sweet nonsense. And in the context of her discography, Lover is an interesting evolution that proves Taylor Swift is in the game to write whatever the hell she wants. Mad respect, there.
Standout tracks are Paper Rings and Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince
4 Distentomb – The Decaying Light
Genre: Death Metal
So I’m going to unironically use the term brutiful, but goddamn is this album that. It’s so dark and heavy and crunchy and gross! If I could legally marry that guitar tone, I would. We would have very strange babies. Now the problem with this kind of death metal is that the tracks kind of blend together, so it’s less 10 tracks and more one 45 minute thing of heavy catharsis. The good news is that with this one, the guitarwork isn’t in the game for simple speed but tries for moody and at times, catchy too. Everything fits together. Also look at that logo! It has crab claws with spikes! That’s fucking awesome!
Standout tracks are Your Prayers Echo Into Nothingness and Rebirth Through Excoriation
3 Swallow the Sun – When a Shadow is Forced into the Light
Genre: Doom Metal
When a Shadow… is an album that thrives on its own mood. It’s dark and sorrowful in ways most albums wish they could be. Every note feels immaculately placed to make you connect with the song; every scream feels tortured in that black metal way that I can’t help but adore. It’s simply a captivating piece of music from start to finish, both devoid of hope yet gorgeous all the same. This is the kind of music only metal can pull off, and you should absolutely check it out.
Standout tracks are Stone Wings and Firelights
2 Deven Townsend – Empath
Genre: Deven Townsend
I’ve listened to this album about a dozen times, and I’m still not really sure what it is, only that I love it. It’s an hour and twenty minutes of never knowing what will come next, from giant choruses, rocking riffs, crunchy heavy metal, animal noises, to a goddamned nursery rhyme shoved in the middle of a song. It’s honestly an amazing piece of musicianship that jumps time signatures just as fast as it does genre. Lyrically it’s a bit chaotic, but very positive too. It’s one of those albums that makes me happy to simply be. Love is love, and \m/ is \m/.
Standout tracks are Spirits will Collide and Evermore
1 Avantasia – Moonglow
Genre: Powermetal
What seals the deal with Moonglow isn’t that it’s a fantastic album, but it’s also a fantastic story. Avantasia are one of those “concept album power metal” bands, which probably says more than I need to about their music. It’s big. It’s bombastic. It has more heart than that idiot in Captain Planet. In the case of this one, it features about a dozen guest vocalists, a bunch of songs over five minutes long, and follows a part of the moon that finds its way to Earth and has to learn how to live with humans. It’s a gorgeous piece of music that honest-to-god tells a compelling story. The melodies are soaring, the singers even moreso. And every time I listen to it, I want to know how the story ends.
Standout tracks are Lavender and The Raven Child
Nonsense 