Best of 2010

#1 - Deathspell Omega -  Paracletus

You were seeking strength, justice, splendour!
You were seeking love!
Here is the pit, here is your pit! Its name is SILENCE…

These are the final words spoken on Paracletus, the climax of a trilogy composed by a very enigmatic band. They've gotten a lot of attention this past year from the metal community in the form of unwavering devotion but also slanderous hate. People have used words like pretentious, overrated, unsatisfying while describing their work and though I may have lashed out in anger at these opinions at first, I've come to respect that Deathspell Omega just isn't a band that everyone is going to appreciate. What's important for the sake of this list is that I appreciate their work and in my mind Paracletus has raised the bar for what I'm going to expect from bands in the future.

The density of the composition, the unconventional techniques, the hypnotic atmosphere, lyrics that read like ancient text... every part of this album is intricately developed, polished and delivered with unbelievable precision. I didn't have this strong opinion after my first spin of course. It was all too much for me to absorb, but given time, each instrument revealed itself individually. I found myself focusing on the smallest details (like clever rhythms on the high hat) and isolating them to see where they would take me. And after I had explored each instrument, layers of synth work and subtle whispers and screams began to draw my attention. With each listen my initial curiosity and excitement matured into quiet admiration which gives me no choice but to give Paracletus my #1 position.

Best of 2010

#2 - Cephalic Carnage - Misled by Certainty

AHHHHhhhhhhhHHAHHAHHHhhhhhhhhhh, IT'S SOOOOOOOOOO HEEEAAAVVYYYYYYYYY, AAAAHHhhAHHHAHahhahah, I CAN'T STAND THE TENSSSIOOONNNNN. THESE PEOPLE ARE SADISTIIIICCCC. UUHHHHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA, I'MMMMmmm GOING TO HAVE AN ANEURYSMMMM!

Best of 2010

#3 - Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit

There was a lot of anticipation for this album. I followed the headlines as closely as I could, watching for the track list, the cover art and telling everyone I knew with excited enthusiasm that the new album was approaching quickly and that it was undoubtedly going to be in my top 10. I never had any doubt, which leaves me in an odd position. All I want to do is get people to listen to this so I'll try my best to do that here.

Have you ever gone on a hike into a forest without knowing where the trail would take you? Picture the entrance, the sign post weather-beaten and unclear but you proceed with a sense of adventure. It's winter out with a fresh snow covering the rocky ground like a blanket. You walk along the trail noticing the sound of running water, the icy wind blowing through trees making their branches sway and creak. Things seem so serene and peaceful you lose track of the distance walked and suddenly realize you haven't seen a trail marker in some time, maybe a mile, maybe two. The first attempt is made to regain your bearings, but the path is unclear, what you've been walking on has been your own path, one previously untraveled and this realization sends a shiver of panic through your body.

Confused and trying to deal with the feeling of being lost in a strange place you search for something familiar; the running water, the stream you heard at the entrance to the forest. Approaching the sound a clearing comes into view. Moving at a frantic pace toward the clearing hoping for a sign of civilization, a road, a farm, but what you approach is a lake frozen over and still. It's beautiful and for a moment the silence takes hold of you trudging up memories, regrets, the struggle of existence as you walk onto the ice looking up toward specks of white against the gray. Suddenly the ice gives way and you're reminded that your delicate existence is being questioned right now. You struggle for the edge, for your life which caught in a moment of reflection is soon to be snuffed out, but you manage to escape the icy grip of death.

It may not be possible to find a way out of the forest before nightfall, so you start considering other options. In this moment a faint line of smoke becomes clear against the gray horizon. It may not be a way out, but at least it's a warm place to ask for help, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. You make your way to a small cabin, a hunting lodge for one. And inside through the window you see a figure but can't believe your own eyes. It is you, rocking in a chair swaddled in a red cotton throw next to a raging fire. Is this a dream or death? Have you drowned?

This is what Marrow of the Spirit feels like to me. Now go and find out what it feels like to you.

Best of 2010

#4 - Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

Enslaved has been around since the beginning, since black metal emerged from the cold dead heart of Norway, and they're one of the few bands from the original scene still making records. While spinning this album countless times over the course of 2010 I've been trying to figure out why they're still here; what makes them resilient when their brethren have fallen into distant memory. To display my theory I'll have to give a bit of background. Black Metal was started as a form of immature teenage rebellion, albeit more extreme than examples of American suburbia. These young gents lit up churches and killed people for spite, but it was still just teenage insecurity. Back then, the music was mostly the same, blasting insanity with horrible production and literally no effort to enter the mainstream. This initial group of musicians gained fans, gained popularity and became something definable, a musical movement; structure when the original intent was anarchy. I think this realization had a powerful effect on a lot of the musicians involved and caused two reactions: personal struggle, insanity and stagnation, in the case of Varg and Fenriz and an evolutionary leap of creativity in the case of Enslaved and Emperor. Unfortunately, Emperor split in 2001 with Ihsahn preferring to compose under other various monikers. Enslaved on the other hand released Monumension in 2001; the album that ended up disillusioning the Enslaved fan base but also paving the way for truly progressive black metal.  

So here we are in 2010 with a band that has been shaping black metal since it began, that has been releasing consistently astounding albums, one after another, for their entire 20 year career. What can I say about the new one? What can I say about Axioma Ethica Odini that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing, but I can tell you with absolute honesty that it is essential listening and that it is a welcome addition to an already unbelievable discography.

Best of 2010

#5 - Withered - Dualitas

My perception of this album has changed quite a bit since the first time I spun it. At first I was blown away by the heaviness. The production is absolutely filthy bringing the guitars and percussion somewhere underground, somewhere damp and devoid of light where monstrous crags shift and quake. The vocalist is trapped down there somewhere suffering and struggling desperately to climb toward the surface. And with that description I'll gladly give Dualitas the title, "Heaviest album of 2010." 

But when I started delving into the lyrical content and the artwork of the album, it shed it's initial brutality in favor of something more intelligent. In the liner notes under the lyrics for every song is an explanation of what each song is about. I've never seen anything like this before and although I generally believe good music to be interpretive and appreciate it when the same music can mean something different to different people, it's certainly refreshing to see exactly what these tracks represent according to the musicians who created them. Boiling the explanations down, this album is about being able to identify the shallow nature of popular culture and distancing oneself from it in order to grow as a spiritual individual. Needless to say I was not expecting this sort of content from the lyrics. I was expecting dark meaningless imagery mixed in with words that sound good when growled, which is what most death metal lyrics are comprised of. What I got was a message these musicians are obviously passionate about; a message that they want their fans to absorb and learn from.

This evolution from bludgeoning brutality to intellectual enlightenment is why Dualitas is worthy of your undivided attention and why it's here in my 2010 list.

Best of 2010

#6 - Kayo Dot - Coyote

Coyote was originally written as a long-form composition by Toby Driver and New York based writer/filmmaker Yuko Sueta who had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The composition was to be used as the sound track for a film, but when Sueta became unable to continue the work, Driver decided to adapt it as music for his band Kayo Dot. The motivation behind this work was Sueta's battle with the disease and with her own mortality. Yuko Sueta passed away while the album was in post-production on October 31st 2009. Here are some lyrics from the album which should convey the atmosphere, the honesty and why I picked it for my Best of 2010.

Help me, I'm disappearing
The doors are breathing
Floorboards are bowing
Remind me if I'm not saying anything
There's just so much I can't see
I feel misplaced

Like a moth trapped in the window blinds
After wings came apart into pieces

Who knows who I am anymore?

One day I entered the room of my mind
Shut the thick door behind my bed
Although there was no life

I felt safe here

I decided to draw some pictures in the air
When the darkness drove it up - all my imaginations
They were creeping and you told me

I want to live forever

Best of 2010

#7 - Her Name is Calla - The Quiet Lamb

What a wonderful little album... I feel the same way about post-rock as I do about post-metal as described in my last entry. Post-anything should come from simple beginnings and take you somewhere new and exciting. This album is another stunning example of how creative musicians can be if they forget about genres, acceptable techniques, templates and formulas and write directly from the heart. Her Name is Calla go so far, it's hard to even call this rock. It's got equal amounts of ambient, neo-classical and a dollop of free jazz mixed together to make a beautifully delicate composition.

Delicate is the key word here. There are many moments of near silence with a single instrument sounding quiet notes or a light drum beat establishing a loose rhythm, but the music never loses your attention. I love it when a band can do that. Moments of quiet simple melodies create so much space within a composition. When my ears can barely make out the subtle nuances, my brain makes up for it by picturing the sound off in the distance with obstacles in the way; blowing wind, falling leaves, a snowfall that has the audacity to feel warm. And in between these moments are the conflicts presented by a soaring, passionate lead vocal accompanied by guitars, horns, strings and a trove of percussion instruments. The artists involved showed not only that they can tastefully incorporate a wide selection of instruments, but also a mastery in execution. Be patient with this one and you'll undoubtedly be rewarded.

Best of 2010

#8 - Questioner - Self-Titled

On to the metal. I mentioned these guys before saying they were the light at the end of the tunnel; a tunnel built by my disappointment with 2010 from a musical as well a more personal perspective. In retrospect that opinion held true. Although the year didn't take the dramatic turn I begged for, it did begin to show promise after I discovered this release. And the discovery of this album made me more aware of BandCamp which I personally think is the future of music marketing and distribution.

Anyway, this album is a good example of what I look for in metal these days, which is music that is difficult to define and manages to tell a story in an original way. After hearing that, someone might just say, "Oh, post-metal, what's the big deal?" but they would be missing the point. Although Questioner could be described as post-metal, they bring their own personality, their own influences to the table. I make the distinction because in the ocean of post-metal, bands will take influence from other post-metal bands and mimic them instead of attempting to find their own identity. It is only the post-metal elite who expand upon the idea of metal; they take basic ideas and techniques and draw them out, driving them somewhere new and original. 

I actually wrote a little description of the sound of this album in a previous post, so out of laziness I'll quote it here:
"Questioner flows organically, but not in the sense that it's warm or comforting, in the sense that it's raw, unassuming, maybe a little rough around the edges. In a world where crystal clear production reigns, Questioner is deliberately muddy, but not to any detriment. The slightly mid-range heavy mix gives every nuance a sort of subtlety, a hint of modesty. The percussion is aggressive and seems to be the leading instrument with the guitar following close behind with a touch of reverb. The second spin is revealing minor tonality, but the resolutions are a little confusing. There's a lot hope in this which means they're taunting the listener with a few temporary resolves into the relative major. This approach gives Questioner a really nice emotional balance having sorrowful intervals resolved by big complex rhythm sections. I hear a bit of death metal, a bit of blasting black coming together in a nice posty blend of metal goodness."

Best of 2010

#9 - Crippled Black Pheonix - I, Vigilante

I was born in 1985, so in the grand scheme of things I've seen very little of music history with my own eyes. I've thought of what it would be like to live in the 70's and see how culture responded to Pink Floyd and King Crimson and of course Led Zeppelin, but all I can do is listen to their music, listen to the music they influenced, and speculate. These artists represent something special in my mind, they represent music that was intelligent, emotionally charged, yet accessible enough to appeal to anyone. Very few bands can claim to embody those qualities these days but a few are trying as hard as they possibly can, which leads me to my #9 spot, I, Vigilante by Crippled Black Pheonix.

Previous efforts by CBP have left me unsatisfied, as if they were still trying to figure out who they were or who they wanted to be, but I knew it was just a matter of time before they figured it out. I, Vigilante represents a turning point for the band; the time when they figured out how to let their obvious talent for writing catchy hooks unfold into a few of the most ambitious compositions I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. There are only five tracks on this album plus one hidden track so we're talking length here; length, without an ounce of filler. Each track has such a strong identity I can easily picture them being released as a series of 5 EP's but when combined these songs make for an emotional journey. I, Vigilante reminds us that you can write beautifully intelligent music and still maintain humility, modesty, and patience, that invariably appeals to the human spirit and ultimately reveals itself as timeless in the grand scheme.

Best of 2010

#10 - Island - Self-Titled

Every list needs to be grounded, it needs to begin with a setting, a symbolic grassy pasture in which one can sit down and expand his ideas, build something, go somewhere. Island is the pasture in which I did a lot of thinking this year so it would be an appropriate place to begin. Hailing from Germany, Island is a group of musicians who by themselves embody a small but substantial movement of music. You may or may not be aware of Valborg or Woburn House or Klabautamann but they are all related to the same founding artists, the same creative fountain. Island in particular swells with ideas and influences I can't pin down; rhythmic discoveries, melodic resolution that shouldn't make sense but consistently does.

This record is certainly not a blasting slab of metal, rather a wanderer. The guitars are mostly clean sometimes accompanied by subtle horns, yet the composition has a density that makes it feel complete; as if each idea was developed patiently and brought to its inevitable end. The verses are hinged together with a warm, mostly clean production that has a very smooth organic feel burying the listener in atmosphere and guiding them with welcome narration unique enough to stand out in my memory for some years to come.

Best of 2010

As the years pass it's important for us to remember personal events, accomplishments, experiences so that we may grow as individuals, educate others, and ultimately reflect upon them in order to evaluate our lives and find some comfort in our eventual departure. I have many memories of my past but few that I could identify with a year. 2010 presented an exception. 2010 was the year we lost Peter Steele and Ronnie James Dio, and I don't think I'll ever forget that. The music of these two men greatly influenced my growth as a metalhead and their deaths set the tone for what music I searched for over the past year. Even though much of this influence was subconscious I recognize that 2010 was a year of loss and the music I spent the most time with, the music that I found most attractive, was music that sympathized with me, that comforted me, and ultimately helped me understand that it's important to move on and welcome new bands and musicians with the passing of the old. So this is my list, a selection of 10 albums from 2010 that helped me through a tough year.

Book: Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton

 I bought this book a while ago as another source of lyric ideas without the intention of ever reading the whole thing, so this isn't a review. I just wanted to share a poem within that serves as an introduction:

'Tis my sole plague to be alone,
I am a beast, a monster grown,
I will no light nor company,
I find it now my misery.
The scene is turn'd, my joys are gone;
Fear, discontent, and sorrows come.
  All my griefs to this are jolly,
  Naught so fierce as Melancholy.
I'll not change life with any King,
I ravisht am: can the world bring
More joy than still to laugh and smile,
In pleasant toys time to beguile?
Do not, O do not, trouble me,
So sweet content I feel and see.
  All my joys to this are folly,
  None so divine as Melancholy.
I'll change my state with any wretch,
Thou canst from gaol or dunghill fetch.
My pain's past cure, another Hell,
I may not in this torment dwell,
Now desperate I hate my life,
Lend me a halter or a knife.
  All my griefs to this are jolly.
  Naught so damn'd as Melancholy.