Best of 2014

1) YOB - Clearing the Path to Ascend

YOB open Clearing the Path to Ascend with a sample of philosopher Alan Watts saying "Time to wake up," preparing the listener for transcendence. Clearing the Path to Ascend is a swan song of an album beckoning us to reflect, to ignore all the shit from our parents, priests, politicians, corporations, and unashamed charlatans of our time and realize the inner truths, the things we feel in our heart, in our marrow. The way Clearing the Path to Ascend approaches the human conflict isn't gentle, it isn't comforting, it wails, it screams, it threatens, and it asks really difficult questions with brash intensity and expectation. This is bold music for bold people, my number one pick for 2014, and one of my favorite albums of all time.

Best of 2014

2) Voices - London

Voices is a band formed from the ashes (and most band members) of the satanic inferno that was Akercocke. When Akercocke announced they were splitting up I was heartbroken. No other band could claim to be so unabashedly evil, but maintain an unmistakable sense of humor. They had an approach to song-writing that was equal parts technical, destructive, and silly and I loved them for it. The first Voices album was a bit underwhelming. It was just as destructive, but it didn't have the tongue in cheek swagger Akercocke was known for. With London, Voices have designed an album on par with any previous Akercocke release. London is razor sharp and full of evil riffing, but unlike the first album it has a story, a sense of humor, and a poignancy unlike any other blackened death metal album in recent memory. Akercocke is dead. Long live Voices.

Best of 2014

3) Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden

First albums are so full of excitement and ideas, often raw and searching for an identity. The second album for any band is a test. Second albums are often stark realizations that a band just didn't have enough ideas to have real staying power. They can also be an affirmation of the identity explored on the first, a more cohesive composition with depth and sharper song-writing. Foundations of Burden is exactly that album. I wasn't very impressed with Pallbearer's first full-length because it sounded too much like a throwback doom album. It had obvious potential but it didn't have the modern edge necessary to compete with other bands in the scene. Foundations of Burden still has an old-school flavor, but Pallbearer have taken advantage of modern resources to transcend their first attempt. The production is fuller and warmer, the vocals have a touch of reverb and they're brought forward in the mix allowing them to soar above slow electric harmonies. The songs themselves have a much deeper emotional presence. Each track on Foundations of Burden has a strong identity, but they all belong together. This is a masterwork of modern doom and it deserves that level of praise.

Best of 2014

4) Mastodon - Once More 'round the Sun

I have to admit being a hater of Mastodon's last few albums. Remission is my favorite and ever since then they've been getting more and more silly, gradually shifting their sound from balls out sludge to more accessible arena metal. Given that, I had zero interest in taking this album seriously, but I'll be damned if this isn't the most fun I've had all year. I can't even really say what changed; there's just something about this album that sounds so alive. The riffs are incredibly aggressive and have so much forward momentum as they churn up just the right amount of tension before unleashing the biggest most memorable choruses I've ever heard. The song structures are as formulaic as they get, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, but each track manages to be exciting and addictive. This album makes me question everything about my stubborn, curmudgeonly self and it feels great.

Best of 2014

5) Godflesh - World Lit Only By Fire

This album marks the end of 13 years of silence from Godflesh. Just being aware of the lengthy hiatus made me fairly excited to sample World Lit Only By Fire, but I have to admit being initially disappointed. Luckily, after a few spins my perception was better aligned to accept this for what it is and love it fully. Godflesh has always had a remarkably infectious sense of rhythm and that's just as apparent now as on previous albums, but World Lit Only By Fire has this incredible weight and purity, stripped down to bare essentials: heavy rhythms, dark atmosphere, and even darker lyrical imagery. When older bands fight the ebbing tide of creativity by adding flare and density to their sound, Godflesh refocused their efforts on exactly what they're great at which is creating devilishly dark, viral rhythms. Taken as a metal album I could see one easily dismissing this for not having enough going on. Taken as a minimalist industrial nightmare this is brilliant and with patience World Lit Only By Fire will charm the most hardened skeptic.