2012 was an unbelievable year for music. There were so many exceptional releases that I didn't even have time to get to all of them! Narrowing down my 10 favorite albums of the year proved to be difficult, but damnit, I did my best and here is my list!
10. Lamb of God- Resolution
Lamb of God has been recycling the same formula for their last few albums, but luckily for them and us, it's a good one! Resolution is a terrific headbanger that will satisfy any metalhead.
9. Abiotic- Symbiosis
Symbiosistook me by complete surprise in 2012. This album is BRUTAL. This release is full of catchy riffs and unbelievable musicianship.
8. Between The Buried and Me- The Parallax II: Future Sequence
I'm a long-time fan of BTBAM, and while I enjoyed their previous two albums, Parallax II is the best I have heard from the band sinceAlaska. "Telos" is without question on of my favorite songs of the year, and the middle breakdown in the song may be one of my favorite musical moments EVER.
7. Meshuggah- Koloss
There isn't a band out there that gets ripped off more than Meshuggah. There you unique style has basically created the "djent" genre of metal and Koloss expands on their signature sound wonderfully.
6. Whitechapel- Whitechapel
Whitechapelis an absolutely wicked album. It grabs you by the throat right from the start and doesn't let go at all throughout the listening experience.
5. Gojira- L'Enfant Sauvage
It was very difficult for me to not place this album higher on my list. I firmly believe that when folks look back on 2012 in metal, this will be the album that stands out. It's a classic!
4. Testament- Dark Roots of Earth
Aside from Slayer, no one carries the thrash flag around better than Testament. They continue to produce quality music album after album. If you can't find enjoyment out of this album, get bent!
3. Deftones- Koi No Yokan
As one of my most anticipated releases of the year, Koi No Yokan had a lot to live up to. It definitely did not disappoint. I feel that this is the bands best release since White Pony which is saying something as the band has always blown me away with their atmospheric alt-metal.
2. The Contortionist- Intrinsic
Every now and then a band comes around that embodies everything you like about music. In 2012, The Contortionist was that band for me. If there was a metal sountrack to outer space, this is it. Listen to The Contortionist.
1. The Devin Townsend Project- Epicloud
Devin Townsend is without a doubt my favorite musician. That being said, this choice must seem entirely biased. However, this is a brilliant piece of work that can bring a smile to even the hardest of hard-asses. I defy you to listen to this album without being uplifted! If you have a favorite album of 2012, listen to Epicloud and be prepared to trade up!
Make sure to listen to METAL IMPERIUM Saturday night from 9-Midnight to recap that year in metal that was!
