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VN1X
Member
Bit of a weird year for music for me as I listened to a ton of singles on repeat and didn't really go crazy with the amount of albums I consumed. 2022 wasn't a bad year for Metal by any means but I did have some issue trying to narrow it down to an arbitrary number of best releases as I didn't really gravitate towards any band/artist in particular this time around.
I also think it's due to the fact that so many records this year were kind of disappointing to me and in some cases had to force myself to find redeeming qualities. Thornhill & Fit for a King come to mind. Bad Omens' new record didn't do much for me either despite the very solid pre-release singles. Not bad albums per se but definitely didn't live up to my own hype... Anyway here's my 2022 list!
Top 10 Top 11
Runner-ups
And So I Watch You From Afar - Jettison
Darko US - Oni
CABAL - Magno Interitus
Ithaca - They Fear Us
DeadVectors - Weapon
Honourable Mentions Because Why Not 2022 Edition (Super Not Cheating I Swear Hyper Fighting Deluxe)
Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings
Nothing More - SPIRITS
Hrftr - Spectre
Best EP
Xenotheory - Dawn of an Eyeless Realm
My two favourite things: Metal & Alien mixed together brilliantly with some of the most chest shattering Slamming Deathcore this side of Infant Annihilator, Signs of the Swarm, Aversions Crown, etc. The album never relents and really captures that hard hitting horror vibe of Xenomorphs performing a wall of death in space or crowd killing at a hardcore show. It's great!
Biggest Disappointment
Parkway Drive - Darker Still
From genre defining Metalcore to cookiecutter arena Rock. Well done chaps! I mean some of it is serviceable and a few tracks stand out such as the album's title track and "The Greatest Fear" but unfortunately the rest doesn't captivate and really lacks the "oomf" from PWD's earlier work. And one can only hope that for their next record Winston McCall sticks to his strengths instead of his poor attempt at singing, spoken word and rapping. He's an amazing Metal vocalist but every time he does anything other than screaming/growls it sounds strained and off which only distracts at the best of times.
Architects - the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
If "Forgettable" had a definition in music form this would be it. Every song sounds like the one that came before it and the individual structure itself is predictable and boring. Tonally the entire record sounds like they've remixed the same few riffs and melodies over and over again. At best this is a B-side off their previous release but at worst it's an elevator medley.
Novelists FR - Déjà Vu: Première Partie
Novelists had a change of the guard in the vocals department and their new singer would have had some big shoes to fill as Matteo Gelsomino was an amazing (Metal) vocalist. Thankfully they got just the man for the job with Tobias Rische of German Metalcore outfit Alazka. Unfortunately the album itself couldn't be more poorly paced if they tried. It starts off promising but instantly loses steam as the amount of interludes brings down the energy entirely (which I think is around 4 on a 12 track album). The actual songs themselves are lacklustre as well with too many other genre influences and as such didn't have enough of that classic fast-paced and melancholic Novelists sound to win me over.
I also think it's due to the fact that so many records this year were kind of disappointing to me and in some cases had to force myself to find redeeming qualities. Thornhill & Fit for a King come to mind. Bad Omens' new record didn't do much for me either despite the very solid pre-release singles. Not bad albums per se but definitely didn't live up to my own hype... Anyway here's my 2022 list!
- Dance Gavin Dance - Jackpot Juicer
- Monuments - In Stasis
- Fit For An Autopsy - Oh What the Future Holds
- Enterprise Earth - The Chosen
- Within Destruction - Lotus
- Hollow Front - The Price of Dreaming
- Northlane - Obsidian
- One Decade - Chromesthesia
- Grayscale Season - Do You Like Violence
- The Devil Wears Prada - Color Decay
- Dayseeker - Dark Sun
Runner-ups
And So I Watch You From Afar - Jettison
Darko US - Oni
CABAL - Magno Interitus
Ithaca - They Fear Us
DeadVectors - Weapon
Honourable Mentions Because Why Not 2022 Edition (Super Not Cheating I Swear Hyper Fighting Deluxe)
Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings
Nothing More - SPIRITS
Hrftr - Spectre
Best EP
- Void Of Vision - CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN
- Reliqa - I Don't Know What I Am
- Allt - The Seed of Self-Destruction
- Dead Crown - Konec
- Time & Eternity - The Face of Death
- The Devil Wears Prada - Time
- Convictions - Stigmata
- Make Them Suffer - Doomswitch
- Beartooth - Riptide
- Meliorist - Daydreaming
Xenotheory - Dawn of an Eyeless Realm
My two favourite things: Metal & Alien mixed together brilliantly with some of the most chest shattering Slamming Deathcore this side of Infant Annihilator, Signs of the Swarm, Aversions Crown, etc. The album never relents and really captures that hard hitting horror vibe of Xenomorphs performing a wall of death in space or crowd killing at a hardcore show. It's great!
Biggest Disappointment
Parkway Drive - Darker Still
From genre defining Metalcore to cookiecutter arena Rock. Well done chaps! I mean some of it is serviceable and a few tracks stand out such as the album's title track and "The Greatest Fear" but unfortunately the rest doesn't captivate and really lacks the "oomf" from PWD's earlier work. And one can only hope that for their next record Winston McCall sticks to his strengths instead of his poor attempt at singing, spoken word and rapping. He's an amazing Metal vocalist but every time he does anything other than screaming/growls it sounds strained and off which only distracts at the best of times.
Architects - the classic symptoms of a broken spirit
If "Forgettable" had a definition in music form this would be it. Every song sounds like the one that came before it and the individual structure itself is predictable and boring. Tonally the entire record sounds like they've remixed the same few riffs and melodies over and over again. At best this is a B-side off their previous release but at worst it's an elevator medley.
Novelists FR - Déjà Vu: Première Partie
Novelists had a change of the guard in the vocals department and their new singer would have had some big shoes to fill as Matteo Gelsomino was an amazing (Metal) vocalist. Thankfully they got just the man for the job with Tobias Rische of German Metalcore outfit Alazka. Unfortunately the album itself couldn't be more poorly paced if they tried. It starts off promising but instantly loses steam as the amount of interludes brings down the energy entirely (which I think is around 4 on a 12 track album). The actual songs themselves are lacklustre as well with too many other genre influences and as such didn't have enough of that classic fast-paced and melancholic Novelists sound to win me over.
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Doomtrain
Member
Good list! I’ll make one over the weekend. My “most disappointing” might be identical to yours. The new Architects is so, so bland, and I say this as a big fan of FTTWTE. I don’t care that it’s softer, but the quality of the songwriting is just awful. I’ve had a weird thing for the past few months where I’ll actively try to recall the chorus to Tear Gas, and I can’t do it.
Doomtrain
Member
1. No Devotion: No Oblivion
2. Limbs: Coma Year
3. Counterparts: A Eulogy for Those Still Here
4. Underoath: Voyeurist
5. Northlane: Obsidian
6. Fallujah: Empyrean
7. TDWP: Color Decay
8. He is Legend: Endless Hallway
9. Dayseeker: Dark Sun
10. Monuments: In Stasis
Most Disappointing
Architects: The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit
I talked earlier about some of the things that disappointed me about this album. In addition to that, it's obnoxious how the band members have been bashing fans that don't like the album. It seems insecure and out-of-character for a group of dudes that are historically known for being humble and appreciative of their fanbase. Just an all-around bland album that feels like no real thought or effort went into its creation.
2. Limbs: Coma Year
3. Counterparts: A Eulogy for Those Still Here
4. Underoath: Voyeurist
5. Northlane: Obsidian
6. Fallujah: Empyrean
7. TDWP: Color Decay
8. He is Legend: Endless Hallway
9. Dayseeker: Dark Sun
10. Monuments: In Stasis
Most Disappointing
Architects: The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit
I talked earlier about some of the things that disappointed me about this album. In addition to that, it's obnoxious how the band members have been bashing fans that don't like the album. It seems insecure and out-of-character for a group of dudes that are historically known for being humble and appreciative of their fanbase. Just an all-around bland album that feels like no real thought or effort went into its creation.
VN1X
Member
Quality picks!
Only just now getting round to Norma Jean an Underoath. I listened to them both once before when those records came out last year but didn't really give them the proper attention. Enjoying them though!
EDIT: Oh damn didn't even know Architects were calling out fans online with regards to the latest album. That's kinda lame if that's the case. They should just take it on the chin and move on. They make good music but it seems these days they are more interested in quantity over quality.
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Doomtrain
Member
I liked Sleep Token’s last album, but it definitely wasn’t as good as Sundowning.
The Summoning is a cut above, though. I love the aggression, the guitar solo, and the way the song keeps evolving into new things. I’m not 100% sold on the jazz/funk segment at the end, but it’s novel and surprising, so I’m onboard with it in principle.
I’ve read speculation that they’re going to release a new album one song at a time each day like they did with Sundowning, but it looks like that isn’t the case… unless the pattern is slightly different this time. Either way, gimme more Sleep Token!
The Summoning is a cut above, though. I love the aggression, the guitar solo, and the way the song keeps evolving into new things. I’m not 100% sold on the jazz/funk segment at the end, but it’s novel and surprising, so I’m onboard with it in principle.
I’ve read speculation that they’re going to release a new album one song at a time each day like they did with Sundowning, but it looks like that isn’t the case… unless the pattern is slightly different this time. Either way, gimme more Sleep Token!
VN1X
Member
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