Biggest Releases For 2012: A Fool's Picks And Predictions

    Happy new year everyone. It's officially that time of the year where we make (and possibly break already) resolutions, we look back over the previous year and then look forward to what the new year has to offer (or sit there tearing your hair out at the thought of dissertation writing for the next few months if you are like me). Part of this of course is looking forward to what great, or poor music we have to look forward to in the new year. That's where this entralling (HA!) post comes in.


    2011 was a great year for heavy music (check out my countdown of the year by the way!), but a quick look at just some of the expected releases from bands this year shows that this year may just top it, and that's not to mention what new bands will take the world by storm this year. So here is my top albums to look for this year, mostly from established bands, and the odd new curiosity ahead. Away we go...

Lamb Of God

    There has been considerable hype already around the new Lamb Of God album; which is due for release on 23 January, and with good reason; Lamb Of God. Fucking. rule. One of the truly great bands of this generation, the follow up to the blistering Wrath is expected to be a highlight for the year. The press have had the album and it has been seemingly unanimous praise for the band and a possible career best, and a contender for album of 2012 in the first month.








How They Sounded Last Time:

Alice In Chains

    Perhaps against the odds and certainly against the expectations of many, Alice In Chains returned in 2009 after their hiatus and the death of iconic front-man Layne Staley with a new singer, William DuVall; and my album of that year, Black Gives Way To Blue. A mesmerizingly powerful effort of some of the bands most memorable and crushing riffs as well as the most heartbreaking ballads of their career. Reports suggest that a new album is on the way in 2012 but otherwise there is little information. 

How They Sounded Last Time:

Behemoth

    With main-man Nergal winning his battle against Leukaemia last year, the metal world must have let out a collective roar of ecstasy when news emerged of Behemoth activity, with a headline spot at Bloodstock and a new album on the way. 2010’s Evangelion brought Behemoth to the masses and anticipation for a new album has surely never been greater. The latest effort for these blackened death-metallers will undoubtedly be one of the year’s most important releases, purely because it sees one of modern metal’s most popular, controversial and powerful personalities, Nergal.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Cannibal Corpse

    The world’s biggest death metal bands are also expected to return with their 12^th studio album in 2012. With death metal (and Cannibal Corpse themselves for that matter) perhaps more popular than ever, and with the recent output of CC with 2006’s Kill and 2009’s Evisceration Plague being some of the bands best in years, excitement for this is very high indeed.  This (and their headline tour in March) will have you windmilling until your neck snaps.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Gojira

    One of the modern era’s most truly cutting edge and brilliant of bands, Frances’ Gojira are expected to have their latest full album out this year. Following 2008’s spectacular The Way Of All Flesh and support slots with some band called Metallica in the following year, Gojira are on a tremendous rise and should soon be rightly cited as one of the modern era’s truly great and important bands.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Metallica

    Speaking of Metallica, a new album from the biggest metal band on the planet is expected. Arguably  the band have not had a decent release for a long, long time; 2008’s Death Magnetic was ok but otherwise you will need to go back as far as 1991’s The Black Album for the last great release; and after the catastrophic response to the Lou Reed collaboration Lulu, a new album will be held under great scrutiny. But they simply have to release a great album once again soon, and with The Black Album anniversary shows under the way, including a massive headline slot at this year’s Download festival; Metallica may just pull it off. It’s fucking Metallica after all.

How They Sounded Last Time: (Ignoring Lulu as technically it is a Lou Reed and Metallica collaboration, on top of that it is poor)

Dyscarnate                                                                                                

    Not the biggest bands in all fairness, and one perhaps easily missed by others, but the new Dyscarnate album is supposed to be a monstrous effort. The follow up to 2010’s perhaps little known but nonetheless excellent Enduring The Massacre; 2012 should be a big year for the young death metallers wit the release of the difficult second album. However going by the press on the album thus far, as well as the released new song ‘A Drone In The Hive’ (http://snd.sc/wSCD5b), this should be a terrific and brutal slice for the new year.

How They Sounded Last Time:

KISS

    NEW KISS ALBUM!! YES! YES YES YES!!...Erm sorry about that, but that’s how much I bloody love KISS and how much news of a brand new album excites me. 2009’s Sonic Boom was a true return to form after a long period of precious few albums (which were not that great to be honest) and it blew expectations out of the water. New album, Monster is in the works and should be out this year at some point and will hopefully see the bands presence in the UK again. You’ll know if it does, you’ll hear me cheering miles and miles away.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Primal Rock Rebellion

    A definite curiosity package this one, and a very unexpected collaboration. Featuring Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden and Mikee Goodman of SikTh, this seems an unlikely pairing, but the announcement on the Second of January with a song free to download certainly pricked the ears. The album should see release on 27^th February on Spinefarm Records, and should be a very interesting release.

How They Sounded Last Time: (Well now)

http://www.primalrockrebellion.com/

Killswitch Engage

    Just to start off, I am a big Killswitch fan boy. The band that got put me on the downhill road towards being a metal fan, they were the first metal band that I truly loved and became a fan of, so a new album from these guys would be great news for me anyway. Following last year’s heart string tugging release from KsE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz’ alternate project Times Of Grace, 2012 should see the band refreshed and in fine form, and I for one cannot wait.

    [At time of writing it has emerged that front man Howard Jones has departed the band for unknown reasons. Gutted, but Killswitch Engage should still make a triumphant return, hopefully this year.]

How They Sounded Last Time: 

Meshuggah

    Tech death metal overlords announced this very day (4^th January if I don’t post this immediately) that a new album will see the light of day on 27^th March, assumedly to a hearty chorus of burly cheering and roaring from across the globe. Recent years have seen a huge amount of ‘Shuggah influenced bands in the new Djent scene; this year Meshuggah should show the kids how it’s done.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Tool

    Tool releases seemingly come around as quickly as Hayley’s Comet, hell, evolutionary cycles in nature work quicker than Tool do in the studio. Thankfully Tool have yet to release an album any less than brilliant in their history and have a reputation as one of the world’s most popular metal bands and one of the most astounding visually, so at least the waits are worth it. Six long years since the release of their last album Vicarious, 2012 HAS to be the year Tool return, and it again should be nothing less than brilliant.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Converge

    One of the most vicious, dangerous sounding and universally praised bands currently, Converge are expected to release the follow up to the brutal Axe To Fall album this year. There is no doubt that this will be a great album, they have failed to make anything less thus far after all. Axe To Fall is a tough act to follow, but if anyone can do it, it’s Converge.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Black Sabbath

    The original lineup of the band that created metal and perfected metal in the first place? The first of this line up since 1979? Who ISN’T excited by this? It should be great as well; Iommi and Butler proved they are on fine form with 2009’s Heaven And Hell album The Devil You Know (R.I.P Dio) whilst Ozzy Osbourne seemed rejuvenated with his underrated 2010 release Scream.  This will be a massive release and, Rick Rubin aside, a great one. See you at Download.

How They Sounded Last Time:

Testament

    Not many bands can pull out their best album more than twenty years after their debut, but Testament seemed to pull it off with ease. 2008’s The Formation Of Damnation was a truly epic piece of work, a genuine classic encompassing the bands heritage and ability to push forward in to the future, being both of this day and yet classic and vintage; and the band are more than capable of matching it and even topping it. Do not miss this album, without a doubt this can be considered to become one of the year’s best albums without a note of music even being heard.

How They Sounded Last Time:

These are my top picks for the new year, with these releases expected, it should be a cracking year. Of course there are plenty of others as well as these so let me know if you think I have missed a genuine contender. Night all....Fuck forgot about Van Halen....