So guys, the year is nearly over. And it's time for the musically adept to gather and discuss amongst themselves or friends, the albums of 2009. Everyone has their own opinion, and here's mine. I've tried to justify why these are the top albums for me this year, and hopefully you'll download them, dig them, support the band and leave a little bit of feedback in our chatbox and lemme know what you think of my top 10.
So here, we, go!
Church of Misery's grasp over the genre they play is easily the bands strong point. Knowing exactly which buttons to press to turn on fans of the genre, brings geniune goosebumps to me. The feedbacked up, slab of sludgey perfection that is 'Houses of the unholy' is sweet, bluesy, heavy as fuck and each song is based on a serial killer. Totally badass, from start to finish, from the excellent use of sound samples, the blues influenced solos, the heavy as fuck vocal performance and the destructive riffs. Prove that this band represent the image of modern day doom and fly the flag of the genre in the most amazing way possible.
Without a doubt, heavy as fuck, and any fan of doom will love this album, guaranteed.
2. Wavering Radiant - ISIS
http://rapidshare.com/files/322164483/ISIS-WR-ANGRYCHAIRS.rar
In my humble musically nerdy opinion, ISIS are the pinnacle of modern-day music. Their slick as fuck approach to the post-metal are like no other. They're not your average 'spacey, wavey, heavy' sorta band thats blurted out. ISIS prove with this album that they're nothing short but genius with their increased prominence of melody and a greater focus on placid sections to balance out their signature crushing heaviness. As usual ISIS play a note perfect, time savvy selection of riffs and the album from start to finish could fill your musical appetite all year, this albums presence of clean vocals brings a sheer orgasmic texture to the songs. Well worth your time, check it out.
3. Wyllt - Black Math Horseman
http://rapidshare.com/files/324657959/BMH-W-Angrychairs.rar
Black Math Horseman are a diamond in the rough, debuting this year, they have captured a haunting, dark, psychedelic and atmospherical blend of beauty and compressed it into 37 minutes on unique listening.
I'm not gonna try and explain this band because they're pretty much unique. It's just something you absolutely have to get your teeth into. The wailing, drunkey bluesy perfection that is 'deerslayer' is reminiscent to bands like Grails though so you wanna check this out for sure.
For fans of darker psychedelic music, echoing post rock and crushing doom, Wyllt will easily find a place at your top albums for the year. Check it the fuck out.
4. Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder
In the year of so-called supergroups like Chickenfoot and Them Crooked Vultures, Shrinebuilder prove to be the only one that matters. Combining members of The Obsessed, The Melvins, Sleep, OM, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan and one of my favourite bands ever, fucking NEUROSIS (Scott Kelly is God) These 5 monolithic tracks are a testament to the collective genius contained in this earth-shattering four piece and makes you realise what the actual meaning behind SUPERGROUP actually is. The sludgey doom trip is something else, Scott Kelly is the fucking man and everytime he takes over vocal duties, i fall in love all over again, oh my god. I'm such a gay.
http://rapidshare.com/files/287778462/The_Black_Dahlia_Murder_-_Deflorate.rar
To be honest, on reflection, i don't really know why this album is so mindblowing. TBDM are never failing to deliver. Despite the criticism i constantly get for this statement, The Black Dahlia Murder are the heirs to At The Gates legacy and continue the gothenburg riffage constantly, this album may not be outstanding compared to their other albums. But it's consistent, it's riff heavy, Trevor Strnads vocals never disappoint and the album is just headbangable from start to finish. Excellent work. Poor review on my behalf because gut feeling is the way i feel about this album. Just get it and see.
6. The Lies I Sire - My Dying Bride
http://rapidshare.com/files/288392330/My_Dying_Bride_-_For_Lies_I_Sire.rar
British Doom pioneers My Dying Bride absolutely fucking destroy with this album. A personal favourite of mine for absolutely ages, and this album is complete redemption from the frankly one toned, weak and sloppy 'A Line Of Deathless Kings' which was mediocre at best.
This time they've bought back the violin, but they've dropped the growls. It's a shame because that's some of the best material they've released over the decade, with growls in, this'd make number 1 in my list i'm pretty sure. The creative keyboards are used as an ambient backdrop of ominous noises and subtle flourishes, the violin, as i mentioned, is back and as haunting as ever. Really helps the songs along. I’ve listened to this album quite a few times and every time I find myself enjoying the music and even most of the vocals, but I’m also constantly waiting for a little extra kick that never comes. In the end, it’s going to come down to whether you find the lack of growls a problem and also how well you deal with disappointment. That sad, this is the most melancholic release of the year, and if you have no reason to be depressed, you'll fucking find one!!
7. Monoliths And Dimensions - Sunn O)))
http://rapidshare.com/files/289209770/Sunn_O____-_Monoliths___Dimensions.rar
Sunn O))) are fucking massive, that is an objective fact. Big in the popularity sense? No. They're the only band that wear black cloaks at concerts and punctuate their name with 3 fucking brackets. The only band massive enough to justify and album being four songs, with some reaching 15 minutes.
They create thundering epics that sometimes consist of only a few chords, fed through machinery and effects so numerous that the resulting sound is something that seems it is not from this world. They read obscure poems that are harrowingly deep and gravelly.
Anyone who enjoys any of Sunn O)))’s music will without a doubt enjoy this album as well, and anyone who is turned off by the band will probably not change their mind. They are not just a doom band. They are a band of spirituality, a band of wishing and daydreaming. Monoliths & Dimensions flashes glimmers of hope among all the doom, like a distant light at the end of the tunnel. The ever so fucking long tunnel.
8. Geneva - Russian Circles
http://rapidshare.com/files/302141762/Russiancir-angrychairs2k9.rar
Russian Circles take everything they are good at and focus their talent and energy to put their unique twist on what you would typically think as post-rock.
Not gonna preach this upon you, there is no need to. The music speaks for itself and if you download it, you'll understand exactly what i mean. Geneva is easily their best work, and after each release they make, they leave me wondering, how the fucking hell will they top this?
9. Lungs - Florence And The Machine
http://rapidshare.com/files/324690894/FATM-L-Angrychairs.rar
So this is a risk, its not extreme music at all, don't kill me. Read what i'm about to type.
For a debut this is quite an achievement. In the British music scene, fans from all genres alike have enjoyed this album. Take me for example, i'm a doom/post-rock fan primarily and this album isn't exactly extreme. It's indie/folk/rock style stuff, all wrapped up in a near-perfect package. Lungs is one of the most exciting, compelling, fearless and ultimately promising debuts of the year. Fuck it, if you don't agree it doesn't really matter, but it's my top 10 i guess, and with tracks as genius as my boy builds coffins and the drumming song, i love the album from start to finish. From Florence Welchs amazing voice, to the minimalistic drums keeping the songs rolling. Check it, if you're feeling brave.
10. It Doesn't Matter - Saxon Shore
http://rapidshare.com/files/312504351/Sxnshr-itdsntmtr-ANGRYCHAIRS.rar
Finally on my last 'review'. This is doing my head in, well hard to try and be witty and 'sell' you the album. But yeah, It Doesn't Matter is proof Saxon Shore are Gods. The band seem to press on despite the push they obviously deserve by now. If you're a heavy heavy music fan or a doom god, it's nice to have a change of pace to counter that. The songwriting behind this album is definately something that earned them a place in my top 10. If you're a first time listener, start with this album and then go backwards. This album is a progression of prior Saxon Shore releases and then some. It might be a little softer than previous albums, but its still catchy and get heavy at times. So there are elements to satisfy you all hopefully.
The band continues to impress and this release does not disappoint. I feel this is a must listen for any fan of the genre and if you are not you should still be able to give this one a try.
And 5 albums that didn't quite get into the top 10 but still fucking rule. So obviously, a top '15'
(all will be upped soon if you just let me know in the little shout box)
11. Retreat - Vessels
12. Tertia - Caspian
13. Crack The Skye - Mastodon
14. What We All Come To Need - Pelican
15. Black Pyramid - Black Pyramid
Thanks for reading my reviews and i hope that you enjoyed my list. If you liked it, give me some feedback on the little shoutmix on the right. So i know i didn't completely waste my night/morning typing ALL this up at 2:52am. Yeah? Excellent, cheers. Looking forward to what the rest of angryteam picked as their albums of the year.
Jake.
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