I would say that 2011 was an especially awesome year for music, but really every year is an especially awesome year for music. I can't remember a single year in recent memory where I haven't looked back on what came out in the previous twelve months and marveled at the number of truly great albums. One thing that will definitely stick with me about 2011 though, is the number of excellent death metal albums released this year. I can't explain it, but for some reason death metal gems were being cranked out like it was the early 90's again and I like it. A lot.
I would have to spend months on this list to narrow it down to a Top 10 or to even rank the albums. So here's a semi-organized list of awesome shit. If you want anything on my list I haven't posted already, leave a comment.
Album of the Year: (Yeah, I know I said no ranking) Mitochondrion- Parasignosis
I don't know why I haven't got around to making a post about this yet, but when I do the post will definitely be of the longer variety. According to Last.fm I first listened to this album on January 14th. I was so blown away that, when it was over, I put on a pair of headphones and listened to it again. And then I listened to it again. 14 days into the year I knew I was listening to the album of the year. In December 2019 when I'm making a list of albums of the decade, I fully expect this to be on there. Mitochondrion play awe-inspiring, challenging and horrifying death/black metal. Absolutely incredible.
Cream of the Crop (Things that might make it into my Top 10, if I had the effort in me)
Flourishing- The Sum of All Fossils. Post here.
Totally out-there death grind, with elements of noise rock. Rips like nobody's business. Really this is probably tied with Mitochondrion for my favorite album of the year. The more I listen to it the closer to creeps to drawing even, I just haven't spent enough time with it yet.
Absu- Abzu.
Haven't got around to posting this one either, but I've promised a few people I will, so soon. Blazingly fast thrash/black metal. With each release Proscriptor demonstrates why he's pretty much the best drummer in the business. Watching this guy play for two straight hours at the show James, Ruben and I went to left me speechless.
Battles- Gloss Drop. Post here.
I know this one didn't grab a lot of people like Mirrored did, but I loved it. "Ice Cream" is probably my favorite song of the year, even if they did kinda ruin it by using it in a FIFA soccer commercial.
The Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
What the fuck? The Beastie Boys put out their best album since the late 90's and I don't think I've discussed it all year. Why do you even read this blog?
Disma- Towards The Megalith Post here.
Absolutely crushing death metal with Craig Pilliard, formerly of Incantation. Not surprisingly it sounds like Incantation and fucking slays.
Trap Them- Darker Handcraft
Heard this one in January, not sure how I haven't posted it yet. Truly great Converge-esque hardcore with Entombed's guitar tone that somehow manages to be catchy.
Barghest- Barghest Post here.
No frills black metal from Louisiana, with Matt from Thou on guitar. Some of the most epic riffs I've heard this side of Weakling.
Loss- Despond Post here.
Epic and beautiful funeral doom.
The Atlas Moth- An Ache For The Distance
Another album I haven't posted yet. Awesome, sludgy and progressive stoner/doom.
Indian- Guiltless Post here.
Filthy blackened sludge with absolutely scathing vocals.
Maritime- Human Hearts Post here.
More incredibly catchy indie-pop from ex-Promise Ringer Davey von Bohlen.
Krallice- Diotima
A par for the course Krallice album, however par for the course Krallice is absolutely amazing. I mean, come on, it's a black metal band with Mick Barr and Colin Marston, how could it possibly suck?
Gigan- Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes Post here.
Fucking insane technical death metal, a genre which I generally loathe.
Futur Skullz- Futur Skullz
Punk as fuck metal with Josh Smith of Weakling/The Fucking Champs.
Midnight- Satanic Royalty Post here.
Another batch of sleazy blackened thrash by Athenar. He really stepped up the Motorhead worship on this album, very nice.
Oranssi Pazuzu- Kosmonumnet Post here.
Blackened surf rock? I guess. Incredibly hard to pin down album, but ranks with Flourishing for most unique album of the year.
Cannabis Corpse- Beneath Grow Lights Thou Shalt Rise Post here.
Andy and the boys really hit it out of the park with this album, what a fucking beast of an album. Andy and Nick left the band a few weeks ago, so my days of listening to Cannabis Corpse might be nearing an end with just the Hall brothers at the helm, but we'll see.
Maruta- Forward Into Regression
Another not-yet-posted. This was the only grind album I heard this year that I really liked. Maybe it was the only grind album I heard? I think I need to try harder.
Psudoku- Space Grind
I lied in the above post. I also heard this grind album, another one man project from the weirdo from Parliamentarisk Sodomi. Space Grind might be the most accurate album title ever.
Things that ruled that probably would have just missed the cut on a Top X-number List:
Miasmal- Miasmal Post here.
Cave In- White Silence Post here.
Mars Red Sky- Mars Red Sky Post here.
Young Widows- In And Out Of Youth And Lightness Post here.
Algernon Cadwallader- Parrot Flies Post here.
Wizard Smoke- The Speed Of Smoke Post here.
The Osedax- Delayed Response
Batillus- Furnace
Blut Aus Nord- 777 Sects
Pneu- Highway To Health Post here.
J. Mascis- Several Shades Of Why Post here.
Shitty things that everyone on the internet went nuts over, but in reality completely sucked:
Yob- Atma
Revocation- Whatever that album was called
So that's it. There's a lot of stuff I really haven't spent enough time with that will find it's way onto a "Retroactive Best Of 2011 List," but do you think I missed anything? Anything on my list that you thought blew? Leave a comment in the C-box (you know, that thing over there ---> that you never use).
Things I'm looking forward to in 2012:
Gilead Media Fest
Nile
Gorguts
The Helio Sequence
John K. Samson
Pig Destroyer
Converge
Auroboros
Thou
Tragedy
Earth
Portal
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