Anteater's 25 Favorite Albums of 2013

The Batlord · 12-27-2013, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

Eh? The Living Infinite has received nearly universal acclaim among the hardest of hardcore metal guys and outside of it. And band reputation doesn't mean anything: I care about metal on an album-to-album basis. And if a person liked early Soilwork (which is when they established their fanbse to begin with), I dunno why someone wouldn't like this album. Are you just allergic to melody in general broski? Some of them are pretty inspired on this one.

Nah, I just can't stand Soilwork. Whenever I've given them a listen I've been completely bored. I love In Flames. I just couldn't give less of a **** about Soilwork.

And if you think I'm allergic to melody then you obviously missed my rave reviews for Britney Spears' entire discography in my journal.

Anteater · 12-27-2013, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Nah, I just can't stand Soilwork. Whenever I've given them a listen I've been completely bored. I love In Flames. I just couldn't give less of a **** about Soilwork.

And if you think I'm allergic to melody then you obviously missed my rave reviews for Britney Spears' entire discography in my journal.

Ah. I asked it as a rhetorical question. Oh well, to each their own. My review and impressions of the music was strictly in regards to the album: if I ever did an Artist Spotlight or something on Soilwork...trust me I'm not a fanboy (nor am I into most modern melodeath), lol!

Still, I'd say its to your benefit to give The Living Infinite a fair shot: its not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination. Due to how much ground it covers I'd even say it might be the band's best record overall, since this is the first time where I've actually heard Strid really stretch both his harsh and clean vocals to the benefit of the songs. You may still feel bored to tears by the majority of Soilwork's output, but I think you'd find at least a couple of songs that hit you in a good place.

I enjoy In Flames too by the way: I just hope their next album is better than Sounds Of A Playground Fading.

The Batlord · 12-27-2013, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

I enjoy In Flames too by the way: I just hope their next album is better than Sounds Of A Playground Fading.

A Sense of Purpose was kind of like their Sacrament (from Lamb of God) in that it pretty much made me lose any interest in keeping up with the band's new albums so I didn't even hear their last one.

Anteater · 12-27-2013, 07:52 PM

^ Good for you man! Their last record was straight up garbage in comparison to their older stuff. And if I, a casual listener of their output, didn't like it, you can guess how the majority of In Flames fans feel.

And now, ladies and gents...on to the top five!

5. TesseracT - Altered State

Genre: Djent, Atmospheric Metal, Alternative Rock

Sounds Like: Coheed & Cambria, Meshuggah, Periphery, Textures

"Djent" metal headliners TesseracT are one of those bands that seemingly explode into prominence overnight but can't manage to keep a lineup together for more than one LP's worth. They've gone through three vocalists in three years, built up a considerable amount of hype due to the strength of 2011's One and prior EPs, plus carry the baggage of being one of the first bands to establish the whole "djent" scene and its characteristics. So the question going into 2013 was: this band is working on a second album...will it suck or soar?

The answer that sophomore record Altered State seems to supply the listener is "send you floating to the moon and back". Stripping away the harsh/clean dynamic of the previous record and bringing in Ashe O'Hara as vocalist numero tres were inspired choices. In the case of the latter change, the 3rd time around really is the charm as far as singers go I suppose, since this guy has the voice of an angel and sounds like he was born to enchant audiences like a Pied Piper over chugga-chuggah polyrhythmic groovage. His tone and range are so immersive you don't even miss the more overt metal elements from the first album, and that's no mean feat!

The album is divided into four "suites" over its 50 minute run, which totals out to ten separate tracks. There are some killer highlights to be had (like the catchy-as-fuck 'Nocturne' and the disquieting beauty of 'Retrospect') but this is really one of those releases which is meant to be listened to as a complete package from beginning to end in order to get the most mileage. As the genre tag "atmospheric metal" implies, letting the otherworldly mood of Altered State sink in is all part of the fun. Give it an inch and it'll give you a league my friends...

Trollheart · 12-28-2013, 11:41 AM

I have to say, I really enjoyed "Sounds of a playground fading" when I reviewed it for Metal Month. Course, I'm no In Flames fan, and don't know what the rest of their work is like, but I thought it was a great album.

(Cue sarcastic comment about girly metal from The Batlord .... here!)

Anteater · 12-28-2013, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I have to say, I really enjoyed "Sounds of a playground fading" when I reviewed it for Metal Month. Course, I'm no In Flames fan, and don't know what the rest of their work is like, but I thought it was a great album.

(Cue sarcastic comment about girly metal from The Batlord .... here!)

In Flames have been around a verrrry long time. Since 1990 actually, and they've never done another album quite as good as The Jester Race back in '96. Sounds Of A Playground has some catchy moments here and there, but it's not really representative of their best work.

Anteater · 12-28-2013, 08:45 PM

4. David Helpling & Jon Jenkins - Found

Genre: Ambient, Electronic

Sounds Like: Patrick O'Hearn, Tangerine Dream, Jonn Serrie, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno

Sometimes an hour arrives where you want to let go of rock, folk, pop, metal or whatever lyrically-motivated craftsmanship gives us emotional reprieve in favor of something abstract that takes you beyond the body. Or, in the case of the collaborative efforts of sonic maestros David Helpling & Jon Jenkins, music that takes you into the heart of space & time without words to get in the way.

See, these guys are absolute masters of organic ambient music, an approach that few attempt to begin with and even fewer excel at in 2013. Dreamy guitars, dazzling synthesizer work and all manner of exotic percussion / other layered instrumentation is here in abundance, but even describing what's involved here is doing a miraculous album like Found a disservice. It's the third and final LP in their trilogy of work (debut Treasure came out in 2007 and 2010's The Crossing was even better), the painstaking work of seasoned pros who understand the dynamics of cinematic instrumental music and what you have to do in order to create something that will stand the test of time.

With every year bringing more and more music in every genre imaginable to your attention and only a tiny little fraction of it ever getting decent attention from your favorite publications, its easy for a purely instrumental outing with a vaguely 80's Eno vibe getting completely lost in the shuffle...but you don't want to pass this one up folks. This duo have excellent chemistry, so give 'em their due and hear the magic for yourselves with Found.

The Batlord · 12-30-2013, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I have to say, I really enjoyed "Sounds of a playground fading" when I reviewed it for Metal Month. Course, I'm no In Flames fan, and don't know what the rest of their work is like, but I thought it was a great album.

(Cue sarcastic comment about girly metal from The Batlord .... here!)

Like any band their earlier work is superior to the stuff they're making almost two decades later. I don't think you'd be much into The Jester Race. Too close to actual death metal for you. But Colony or Clayman might just be your speed.

Anteater · 12-30-2013, 08:47 PM

2. Circle Of Illusion - Jeremias: Foreshadow Of Forgotten Realms

Genre: Rock Opera, Jazz, Funk, Disco, Soul, Progressive Metal, Experimental

Sounds Like: Ayreon, Queen, EW&F, Kool & The Gang, Epica, Nightwish, Pain Of Salvation

Sometimes you pick up an album out of morbid curiosity and expect it to be bland, mediocre, or half assed. I've certainly heard enough music in my favorite genres to say I've done my own fair share of digging through trash in hopes of uncovering something unique. To be specific: when it comes to a lot of progressive metal, I've definitely more jaded than I was a decade ago. Too many albums trying to emulate the pioneers and not enough spontaneous creativity. You can imagine how refreshing it is, then, to actually run across something fresh in the genre that innovates and still manages to entertain. Real 'progress', if you will.

Austrian newcomers Circle Of Illusion are exactly the kick in the ass prog-metal has needed for awhile now. They stay just enough in the lines to appeal to fans of the genre, but they aren't afraid to challenge you with their Motown basslines, jazzy orchestrations straight out of the Giorgio Moroder guidebook and THREE excellent lead vocalists who play off eachother beautifully...all of which works seamlessly within the context of a fantasty/opera concept record. Such a mishmash of genres and styles normally wouldn't work...and yet somehow these guys are so talented that the whole thing sounds like a million bucks with hooks and memorability to spare!

Part of why this debut is such a consistent, awesome mindfuck is that its the sole compositional baby of keyboardist/band leader Gerald Peter. This dude, barely out of college, composed this album piece by piece between classes over a five year period before he got a band together to bring it to life. And to think he's barely into his 20's! Something like that goes way beyond talent: we're talking stone cold genius level, and the uncanny energy that fills this guy's imagination shows in every note throughout the LP.

I knew from the very first time I spun this remarkable opus that it was going to end up on my list somewhere. But if you haven't bothered to pick up anything on my list so far, then at least give this sucker a whirl. It really is extraordinary.

12-28-2013, 11:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	I have to say, I really enjoyed "Sounds of a playground fading" when I reviewed it for Metal Month. Course, I'm no In Flames fan, and don't know what the rest of their work is like, but I thought it was a great album. (Cue sarcastic comment about girly metal from The Batlord .... here!) __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018