Favorite Albums of 2010

[slashfan7964]

Just post your 5 favorite albums that were released this year.

No particular order:

Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
Disturbed - Asylum
Ozzy Osbourne - Scream

[thebocaj]

Just post your 5 favorite albums that were released this year.

No particular order:

Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
Disturbed - Asylum
Ozzy Osbourne - Scream

That's 4, but I'm going to trust that you have a good reason for only putting 4. Tough choice, especially as I get more and more into older music.

In order:
If singles and EPs are allowed:
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
Megadeth - Sudden Death (Single)
Rhapsody Of Fire - The Frozen Tears Of Angels
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
Madina Lake - The Dresden Codex (EP)

If not:
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
Rhapsody Of Fire - The Frozen Tears Of Angels
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
Brain Drill - Quantum Catastrophe
Bullet For My Valentine - Fever

Damn, 2010 was much worse for albums than I thought. Most of the best ones I thought were 2010 were actually 2009.

[slashfan7964]

I couldn't think of another that I really liked. Thats why there is only 4.

[crazy.neo]

The Black Keys - Brothers
Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt OST
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Foals - Total Life Forever
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy OST
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The Antlers - Hospice (came out in 2009, but I'm gonna list it LIKE A BOSS)
Amberian Dawn - End of Eden
Weezer - Hurley (LOL NO, serious Rivers, get your sh*t together)

[aander91]

Amberian Dawn - End of Eden

Still haven't picked this up. I'm holding out for either iTunes or a physical copy.

[slashfan7964]

Is it even out on iTunes yet?

[porknchili]

05. Lustdriven - Kiuas preview song (Cry Little Angel)

- Ever since Kiuas' first album, they have progressively gotten worse but this album has stopped that trend with the amazing songwriting of Mikko Salovaara.

04. The Cold Embrace of Fear (A Dark Romantic Symphony) - Rhapsody of Fire preview song (Act 3: The Ancient Fires of Har-Kuun)

- I must say, when they first announced this I thought this was gonna be kinda bad and I was meh after the first 2 songs (which are narrations) but Act 3 was and now is my favorite Rhapsody of Fire song of all time, it is just truly epic.

03. Abrahadabra - Dimmu Borgir preview song (Dimmu Borgir)

- With all the member changes and In Sorte Diaboli being decent with the exception of a few songs, I thought this was going to be terrible. I was completely proven otherwise.

02. Resurrection - Galneryus preview song (Destiny)

- I was completely blown away with this album, I could not find any songs bellow average. The progressive influence is still there and Syu manages to blow us away with his remarkable technique.

01. Sunless Rise EP - Sunless Rise preview song (Nothing to Save)

- I honestly had no clue about this band. A Progressive Symphonic Melodic Death Metal band? I had never heard of such a thing but the 4 songs in this EP are completely amazing. All of them are incredible and are HIGHLY good listens. The mix of Neoclassical shredding, melodic death metal influence, and overall originality are what blow this album off the roof.

[Kotti]

Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
Overkill - Ironbound
Accept - Blood of the Nations
Mokoma - Sydänjuuret + Juurta jaksain EP

Not a very good year, I think those were the best albums and none of those were mindblowing. Then there were some other pretty good albums, by Nevermore, Alcest, Ihsahn, Agalloch, Kalmah, Les Discrets, Poets of the Fall, Sabaton, Seventh Wonder and Sole Remedy, and Maybeshewill's new single. Biggest letdowns were Masterplan, Pain of Salvation, Kamelot and Crematory.

[estemshorn]

not really any order:
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy OST
Ozzy Osbourne - Scream
Deadmau5 - 4x4=12
Devo - Something for everybody (yes i'm putting f*cking devo on there)
The Instru-mentals - The Beast of Techno trololololo lololo lololo trolololol

[RedShadow]

None. I f*cking hate music.

[vedicardi]

I couldn't think of another that I really liked. Thats why there is only 4.

I guess that's what happens when you don't actually look for good music and just eat up whatever the major labels are pushing :)

[aander91]

Aqua - Angra

I was really disappointed with this one personally.

[timfoss]

TOP 5

1. Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
2. Lostprophets - The Betrayed
3. Disturbed - Asylum
4. Serj Tankian - Imperfect Harmonies
5. Bullet For My Valentine - Fever


RUNNERS UP

1. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
2. OC Remix - Serious Monkey Business
3. I Am Abomination - To Our Forefathers
4. Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
5. Conditions - Fluorescent Youth

[vedicardi]

放課後ティータイム - 放課後ティータイム II (#23『放課後!』Mix)

-They pulled out all of the stops this time. This recording has a really really cool raw sound and some banter for fans of the show, as well as a song or two that hasn't been heard before. On top of that they don't include any of the boring OP or ED songs (I admit I liked one or two but if Don't Say Lazy were to be on this record I would not like it).

For those uninitiated, I'll explain. This album is essentially a garage rock album with a J-Pop twist, including HARD key parts, two guitars, driving bass, and vocal harmonies. The "band" is made up entirely of girls and the lyrics are all in japanese so if you aren't into that then this certainly isn't for you, but if you like some old garage rock with a cool new twist on it, you might dig this.

Note that the video linked is a song from the "album" mix as opposed to the tape mix, which I enjoy vastly more.

Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer

-This album has SOUL. If you like some great grooving soul, then this is the album for you. It has a great modern sound with a classic, honest feel to it. With each tracking having it's own producer, you get to hear some crazy cool stuff each track, and it leaves you wanting more. Great stuff.

Galneryus - Reserrection

-Syu still manages to pull it off, as good as ever. I don't love the vocals so much here as I do on other albums, but it's some great power metal, there's no arguing that. I'd take these guys over current Angra anyday.

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

-I dunno how, but these guys can really captivate, they still got it. Lots of interesting unique sounds here.. It's a pity the album doesn't really tie together as a whole. Great album regardless, fortunately.

Kalafina - Red Moon

-More J-Pop oh my god. This album is really only held together with the AMAZING single Hikari no Senritsu. Everything else is still really interesting though. Every song has the quality and the unique tone that could make it the OP or ED for an anime. I feel that's almost what they were shooting for. Not too much upbeat sounds on here either, a very dark album in some regards. I really like it. Some REALLY cool scales are used on a few tracks.

Seriously Hikari no Senritsu is INCREDIBLE It's six minutes long?! Name any other J-Pop single that 6 minutes long!

Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring

-Modern day Blur. I think they're worth mentioning just because it's some good indie rock. Imagine Arcade Fire if they played their music just a tad faster and with more energy. I mean there's no "You! Me! Dancing!" here but it's still a real solid album, though notably more thick and drugged than their previous efforts.

Overkill - Ironbound

-Best Overkill album since Years of Decay no question. Some really great stuff on here.
'Nuff said

Ratt - Infestation

-Really really surprising that these guys can put out a solid release after all of these years, isn't it? The videos are as terrible as ever but wow they pull out all of the stops in making you think this is a really classic '84 release from Ratt. Easily on the level of Rats in the Cellar. And man, that guy can still shred.

Blind Guardian - At The Edge Of Time

-WOW. What the hell happened to these guys over the past 2 years or so? This a ridiculous album in so many aspects. The writing is great, every song being "Mirror Mirror" quality (okay not quite that good but very close), the production is INCREDIBLE, and man that album art blows me AWAY! These guys somehow manage to be in their prime this far into their career. How? I don't know. Just listen in. The thrash influence is gone and man they are just out to destroy now.

-------
TOP 3

3. Valient Thorr - Stranger

-This album has been so overlooked. It's really sad. They really do some interesting stuff here, and they always have, but for whatever reason they can't seem to make it. Very cool dual guitar work throughout, some great drum work, and as a whole just a great album. It even has prog metal elements, and well, everything in between. Give this thing a shot, give this band a shot.

2. Tera Melos - Patagonian Rats

-They did it again, but better. Math Rock at it's finest. This album is seriously the "Dark Side of the Moon" of 2010 if there ever was one. From start to finish it's a true journey. All of the tracks tie well together (not literally though), and it has a really cool progression. Everything feels natural, and it's a real ALBUM, as opposed to just a few songs slopped together with one single picked out of the bunch. The continuing of innovation in their use of vocals (as opposed to being instrumental as they were 2 albums ago), and their ability to write real good melodies as opposed to bizarre opuses really brings this album to a new level.

1. つしまみれ - Sex on the Beach

-Simply incredible. Best garage punk release since 1969. Yeah, it's japanese. Deal with it. I absolutely love this album.

[timfoss]

Never heard of any of those except for Ratt's Infestation. That was a really good album though.

Oh, and come on people, no love for The Beast Of Techno?