The Real Concert King's Top 25 Albums of 2016
Part 2: 10-1
10. Saosin - "Along the Shadow"
Check Out: "Illusion and Control"
Stream on YouTube
9. Hands Like Houses - "Dissonants"
Stream on YouTube
8. Polyphia - "Renaissance"
Stream on YouTube
7. Thrice - "To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere"
- The mighty Thrice made their long-awaited return with their first album after going on hiatus in 2012. If you were into Major/Minor, then it's pretty safe to say you would be into TBEITBN also. The album's opening track "Hurricane" starts with a earthy distorted acoustic guitar, then pounds right into the full band section with a wallop, and some signature Thrice-y guitar leads. The intro really sets the tone of the album perfectly, the acoustic guitar reminding you of the honesty and sincerity of old-school blues and folk, then hitting you with the heavy intensity that Thrice are so masterful with. "Death From Above" is a pretty emotionally heavy and powerful song, with one of the best choruses on the record. The lyrics are about drone strikes and the emotional toll it can take on people. Dustin Kensrue never fails to write and deliver lyrics and melodies that make you feel something deep inside yourself. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest lyricists that has ever lived and he continues to live up to that with every new release. As always, every element on the album is super solid and worthy of focusing on with each listen. To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere is a worthy addition to the Thrice catalog and well worth the wait it took to get it. Long live Thrice.
Stream on YouTube
6. Devin Townsend Project - "Transcendence"
- For someone who has made as much music as Devin Townsend has, it's pretty astonishing that he's still able to maintain such a high level of quality. The intro track Truth is another re-recording from his back catalog, having originally appeared on 1998's Infinity album. He had previously re-recorded Kingdom for the Epicloud album. Seeing as both of those songs have been mainstays in DTP's live sets, it felt natural to re-record for newer releases. Truth is mostly the same song here, but it sounds much better. The production value is a lot higher and the song sounds even more huge than before. There was some added vocals and instrumentation and an extended outro which I think make the new version far superior to the original., another welcome addition, much like the re-recording of Kingdom a few years back. I'm a sucker for Devin's flare for the dramatic and scale. Virtually all of his songs command you to listen to them loud and they seemingly fill whatever space you're listening to them. Transcendence, of course, is no exception. After the massive intro track the second song, Stormbending, is almost a mellow tune by Devy standards. But don't get me wrong, it still rocks and packs a punch. The guitar tapping section into the solo by Dev in the middle of the song is just spectacular. The song then builds to a glorious crescendo towards the end. The next track Failure is easily one of my favorites on the album. There's a rhythm that carries through the entire song despite all of the ebbs and flows, and in the middle of the song is a long and epic guitar solo that is mesmerizing every single time. Devin wanted the rest of the Project to be more involved with the creation and production of the songs on this album than in past works, and I think that was a great decision. He is certainly more than capable of crafting amazing music all on his own, but with the amount of talent in his band, giving them more input doesn't seem like a bad thing. Transcendence is at times pure insanity and utter weirdness, and I mean that in the best possible way. No one can manage to pull any of that off as well as DTP. I could go on about this album and Devin's music all day but just give it a listen for yourself if you haven't already.
Check Out: "Failure"
"Offer Your Light"
Stream on YouTube
5. Russian Circles - "Guidance"
- One of my favorite, and in my opinion one of the best, instrumental bands ever returned with another exceptional album. Guidance sees Russian Circles change things up a bit from what we're used to from past albums. The first song, "Asa", is only the second time they've started out an album with a down-tempo intro track, the other time being "Memoriam" on the previous album Memorials, although that track was less than 90 seconds long and this one is 4 minutes. The very next song, "Vorel", is one of the heaviest on the album and it reminds you that this is the same band you know and love.
One of the things I love so much about instrumental music is the way you can impart your own meaning and story to it. It can even change depending on how you feel when you're listening to it. You can listen to the same song multiple times and get different things from it depending on your mental state. Sure, you can do that to a certain degree to music with vocals, but not to the same extent as with the relatively blank canvas that is instrumental. "Afrika" is another song that starts off more chill and builds up to a strong finish. The beginning of the song sometimes makes me think of the peaceful sunrise of a new day, and the hope that comes along with that. And the build up of the song coinciding with the challenges and obstacles that you might encounter. Is any of that what RC had in mind when they were creating the song? Probably not, but that's just what pops into my head and what I bring to it, and sometimes depending on my head space it will be something completely different. And it might mean something completely different to you. With "Calla", they might have crafted their heaviest song to date, which is saying a lot if you know anything about this band. The power and intensity of that song cannot and should not be ignored. There's just something special about the way Russian Circles uses riffs and rhythms that start out seeming basic and repetitive but are gradually built upon until they become these massive sonic elements that would fill any arena or stadium.
Check Out: "Vorel"
"Calla"
Stream/Buy on Bandcamp
4. Opeth - "Sorceress"
- I have long contended that Opeth may not only be among the greatest bands to ever exist, but may very well be THE greatest. While some may think the band has gotten "soft" with the last few albums because vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt stopped using unclean vocals, this is anything from a soft album. Just take a look at the album artwork: A beautiful, colorful peacock standing on top of a pile of human remains with blood dripping from its beak. If that doesn't perfectly fit this album, I don't know what does. It starts out with a beautiful, peaceful acoustic guitar intro, almost serene. But if you pay attention to the spoken lyrics, you'll discover that there is something more ominous and heavier lurking beneath the surface. Again, on the next track, the title track "Sorceress", the song starts off with a groovy, 70's-prog inspired section before stopping dead to transition into slow, heavy chugging guitars. One of the many reasons why I hold Opeth in such esteem is due to their ability to flawlessly blend beautiful, intricate melodies and themes with dark, heavy, almost sinister sounding sections and songs. On "Will O the Wisp", they channel their highly regarded Damnation album, in what I think may be one of their finest "clean" songs since that album. After a fade-out ending on "Will O the Wisp", the next track "Chrysalis" makes you want to start headbanging and air guitaring right out of the gate, then in the second half will shred your face with blistering dueling guitar and keyboard solos. I know there are Opeth "fans" out there who disregard everything after the Ghost Reveries album, but in reality Sorceress is yet another great album from what could possibly be the greatest band of all time.
Check Out: "Sorceress"
"Will O the Wisp"
Stream on Spotify
3. O'Brother - "Endless Light"
- Every time O'Brother makes new music, I will get excited. They are one of those bands that you know is going to be solid and push the boundary. In my opinion, they're also one of the most underrated and underappreciated bands in the world. They are one of the heaviest bands out there and you'd be hard pressed to find a band that sounds bigger than O'Brother. Talk about a wall of sound. I think one of the things that makes their music so engaging is the dynamism and their use of contrast. Vocalist Tanner Merritt makes great use of his falsetto, sometimes on top of some of their heaviest elements. The contrast of that makes it sound more interesting and seems to make it feel even heavier. That doesn't mean that O'Brother is just sheer, unrelenting heaviness all the time. They let moments breathe and give them space and that allows the louder, heavier parts have a greater impact. Even slower, "quieter" songs and sections have the same feel and intensity to them. I especially love Tanner's vocal performance on "Time is a Length of Rope," he sings softly, using his falsetto at the beginning of the song then transitions into a little bit stronger voice towards the middle of the song. Then the second half of the song, which is primarily instrumental with a few repeated lyrics, almost echos that same arc, building up to a noisy finish that counters the soft, delicate beginning perfectly.
O'Brother have an exceptional talent for crafting epic intros and outros. If you've ever seen them live then you would know that already, and if you haven't seen them live then you need to remedy that ASAP. They started off this album with a bang. The opening track "Slow Sin" begins with a lot of pounding, rhythmic drums and ambient guitar. The drums come back in towards the end of the song and also serve as the outro. If that song doesn't get you pumped for the rest of the album, then you're just a crazy person.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't say anything about the gem of this album. That would be the second track, "Your Move." I have long contended that the song "Lay Down" from their Garden Window album is one of the best songs ever made. I think "Your Move" is only a notch below "Lay Down." That's how good it is. I think the only difference is that "Lay Down" has more of a scope to it and "Your Move" seems a little bit more condensed, but that doesn't mean it's not a damn near perfect song. It starts off beautifully with a single guitar playing a few bent notes, then the drums, then the rest of the instruments join in. Tanner showcases pretty much his entire vocal range in this song, using his beautiful falsetto in the first two choruses, then a more powerful tone in the final one. As with a lot of O'Brother's songs, it builds up in intensity as it goes along. It also features one of my all time favorite riffs in any song. The guys in the band call it the "dad riff" and it proceeds the second chorus. It sounds great on the album, but it shakes the walls in a live setting. The song ends on a simple, quiet and delicate guitar and vocal section that is in stark contrast to the section that immediately preceded it.
You'd think that with all the instrumentation and heaviness going on with this album, things would get lost in the mix. But you can clearly hear Anton's bass, all of Mike's drums and Johnny, Jordan and Tanner's guitars in all the songs, something that doesn't always happen. With Endless Light, O'Brother has added another great album to their short but already stellar discography, making an album that I'm sure will still be as amazing in 50 years as it is today. With all the pounding drums, distorted guitars, long sustains, feedback, attention to detail and sheer power, this album is a don't miss. Do yourself a favor and listen to it if you haven't already.
Check Out: "Your Move"
"Bloodlines"
Stream on YouTube
Buy
2. Emarosa - "131"
- Calling 131 the second best album of the year doesn't even really do it justice. This album is a pure masterpiece. This may well even be one of the strongest start-to-finish albums I've ever heard. There isn't a single track on here that even comes close to being considered 'weak.' This is one of those albums that when you listen to it, your favorite song is the one you are currently listening to. That is why I cannot implore you enough to take the 40 or so minutes to sit down and listen to the whole thing. 131 commands your attention. This was an album that I had high hopes for, and I was still completely caught off guard by how good it is. This album is proof that inviting Bradley Walden to join as vocalist was the perfect decision. Sure, the last album was great and Bradley was great on it, but 131 is on a whole new level. Right off the bat, "Hurt" starts off serenading you with beautiful melodies and vocal harmonies, then the band comes in full strength, with Bradley singing the lyric "If you're hurt, I'm sorry. But that's what I've been through and I'm lonely," with a passion and emotion that you can't deny.
Each song feels different from the others, but also as if it is perfectly complimented by the rest of the album. I love the raw energy and passion of "Hurt" and "Young Lonely" and the groove and soul of "Cloud 9" and "Helpless" and the vulnerability and sincerity of "Porcelain" and "Never". I read in another (better/real) review of this album that it, "feels more like an experience than it does a collection of certain songs." And I could not say it any more perfectly than that. You can listen to the songs individually and they'll still be great songs, but when you sit down and give 131 your full attention, it will take you on a journey. This album was a big change for Emarosa, but it paid off. Every band member seems to fit in perfectly, everything compliments everything else so well. This is the best Emarosa has ever been. Every song has a catchy hook or chorus, and every song is instantly recognizable.
I'd do this album a disservice if I didn't mention the final song, "Re." They intricately blended parts of every other song together to form one epic, cohesive finale. It's chaotic, layered and beautiful. It seems like a much more fitting album to such a masterful album than just picking a song to be the closer. It brings everything together and showcases the unity that is 131.
Check Out: "Hurt"
"Cloud 9"
"Young Lonely"
"Cloud 9"
"Young Lonely"
1. The Dear Hunter - "Act V: Hymns With the Devil In Confessional"
- Much like last year, the deciding factor for which album would be number one came down to which one transported me to another place and time when I gave it my full attention. What The Dear Hunter have been able to accomplish with 2015's Act IV and 2016's Act V, which were recorded around the same time, is astounding. Frontman/songwriter/vocalist/guitarist/pianist/storyteller/composer Casey Crescenzo has said that this will be the final "rock record" in the story, and I would assume that Act VI will be a primarily orchestral album. That being said, the blend of influences, elements and instrumentation on this album is phenomenal. You can say that about every TDH album, but as of writing this I think it might be the best Act record yet. I might feel differently about that later on, but you can definitely make a strong case for that being true. This could very well be the strongest one from start to finish. And I don't say that lightly, I think The Dear Hunter are one of the best bands in the world at the moment. Anyone that knows me probably knows that I'm a huge fan of music with real instrumentation, and I especially love when bands use orchestral elements. Well Casey not only uses orchestral elements, he uses a full orchestra. The feel and scope of this album can get massive at times, but also bring it back in for intimate moments when the story and music requires it.
For those of you who don't know, Casey Crescenzo wrote a symphony a few years ago called Amour & Attrition, and he has used what he learned making that to write even more compelling orchestral pieces than he did before. Beyond that, the journey that this album takes you on is almost indescribable. There's no way I could ever write anything that would do music like this justice, so just get yourself a good set of headphones or speakers and give it a listen for yourself. There are so many influences and elements expertly and perfectly blended together. There's pop, rock, big band, progressive, indie, jazz, blues, folk, and of course classical all wrapped together in this theatrical, quasi-vaudevillian package. But it never feels forced, it always fits the song, story and lyrics.
The first track "Regress" is a very somber, melancholy intro. A shift from the more bombastic intros in the previous Act records. The vocal arrangements and harmonies, piano, strings, harp and lyrical content really set the stage and pull you into the album. Casey shows off some of his tremendous vocal range before the transition into the next track, "The Moon/Awake," which is kind of a sneaky number. The beginning of the song almost gives off a The Color Spectrum-Black vibe, but the song changes several times, getting bigger and more grand as it progresses before shifting again for the last section.
The transitions between songs on Act V are phenomenal, the entire album feels like one continuous piece of music. Yet each song still feels like it's own entity with its own ups and downs. Even with all of the different styles and influences, the album is still totally cohesive. There isn't a single moment that feels out of place or at all disjointed.
All in all, Casey and the rest of The Dear Hunter have created yet another masterpiece that will live on for years to come. Their music, and especially this album hit me in all the sweet spots. The sense of grandeur, theatricality, instrumentation, sheer scale and everything else about this album is what I love to hear in music. It draws you in and captivates you for the entire running time and still leaves you wanting more, which is really saying something because this album clocks in at over 73 minutes. There isn't a second of Hymns With the Devil in Confessional that isn't a joy to listen to. So thank you to Casey, Nick, Rob, other Nick, Max and everyone that took part in creating this genius work of art.
Check Out: "The Most Cursed of Hands/Who Am I"
"Gloria"
"The Fire (Remains)"
Well there you have it! My top albums of 2016 as well as some of my poorly worded, terribly described ramblings! Let me know what you think and what I missed!
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