Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's 7-6

Sorry I haven't updated this in a little while, apparently assignments really pick up in the third year of university! Who knew?? Anyway I hope you haven't been going mental with anticipation as to what this tit's favourite albums of the year are. You have? Oooh, well best continue then.

No.7- Anthrax- Worship Music

    Sometimes it is very easy to get swept away with the hype surrounding a major new release from a band with a legendary status. A prime example for me was back in 2008 with the arrival of the brand new Metallica album Death Magnetic. At the time of its release you could not move for positive reviews and excitement for the album, and when it finally arrived on my doorstep and into my CD player I loved it, but over time I began to realise it was not as great as expected. There was a worry that Anthrax would do something similar here; it has been nearly a decade since their last studio release, and after an apparent trap door policy on vocalists which EVENTUALLY resulted in original singer Joey Belladonna taking the helm, expectations were very high. But would Worship Music live up to the weight of expectation? Thankfully, Worship Music is a stormer.

    Admittedly the album sounds like it was intended for iconic front-man John Bush to be at the helm, with songs having a more commanding feel than the partly humorous and cartoon like (but undoubtedly classic) Spreading The Disease/Among The Living era; but Joey does an admirable job and gives perhaps his most furious performances. 'Earth On Hell' is a prime example of Joey showing his own character and yet filling the void left by Bush.

    Of course Joey is the biggest talking point of the album, but that's not to take away from the rest of the band, who have written some of their best songs in a long time. The likes of 'Fight 'Em Til You Can't', 'Earth On Hell' and 'The Devil You Know' should become staples for the band if there is any justice. Sounding less like a thrash album and showing more signs of a classic rock sound (perhaps a result of Ian and Caggiano's The Damned Things project?), this is still undeniably Anthrax and thankfully they sound stable once again. May it continue that way.

Listen To: Earth On Hell, Fight 'Em Til You Can't, In The End

No.6- Vintage Trouble- The Bomb Shelter Sessions

    First of all I do not claim to be an expert by any means in Soul and Blues music; as much as I enjoy artists of these genres, my critical knowledge of such acts is minuscule. That being said, since I first heard  Vintage Trouble and The Bomb Shelter Sessions I have barely stopped listening to it. It is such a fun, danceable and believable album and deserves any recognition it gets.

    Vintage Trouble are an LA based old school style Blues, Soul and Rock band, and despite this being their début they have gained quite a lot of new fans along the way, with appearances on Later...With Jools Holland and The Late Show With JoAnne Good, before some touring in the UK with the little known Brian May and Bon Jovi... not bad really.

    One listen to this album will tell you why these guys have got such attention. Each and every song on here will put a smile on your face and have you dancing away like a loon before you know it. A sound firmly rooted in the very early and vibrant Soul sound, The Bomb Shelter Sessions sounds vintage yet fresh simultaneously. Each song is almost instantly memorable throughout. Frontman Ty Taylor is an absolute star as well, the perfect package of a beautiful voice and instant, natural charisma; find any live video as proof and see how much of a pleasure this guy is simply to watch on stage. A rather unexpected highlight for me admittedly, but Vintage Trouble have put out one of the catchiest and straight up fun and danceable albums of the year. Check this out. Now!

Listen To: Nancy Lee, You Better Believe It, Total Strangers

Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's- 9-8

No.9- All Shall Perish- This Is Where It Ends


    Since their previous 2008 release, Awaken The Dreamers, death/deathcore metallers All Shall Perish have had a couple of stumbling blocks to deal with. The departure of both a guitarist and a drummer is always a major blow, so the exits of guitarist Chris Storey and drummer Matt Kuykendall could have left these still young scamps in lumber. Instead the band brought in Francesco Artusato and Adam Pierce and deliver a tremendous effort, and easily their best. Easy really.


     Often tagged as a deathcore act, there is little here to warrant that categorization here; This Is Where It Ends is modern death metal at some of its most dangerous: it is heavy as a truck load of anvils, it is brutal, at times it shows signs of the melodic, and it is also mature and shows coming of age for All Shall Perish. There is masses of technicality on display here but there are even subtle signs of prog thought inside, as well as some quite obvious groove metal nuances thrown in. There are some signs of experimentation but not to the point of distraction.


    Not to mention the vocals! Hernan Hermida gives a monstrous display, almost literally, I am not 100% sure if he isn't a monster. A wide range of ferocious growls on display that make him more than a match for any of the great harsh vocalists out there right now. With good fortune, this album should see All Shall Perish become very big names in the death metal circles; This Is Where It Ends is one of the most crushing, neck snapping albums of the year.


Listen To: There Is Nothing Left, A Pure Evil, Royalty Into Exile

No.8- Ancient VVisdom- A Godlike Inferno


    Probably one of the most underrated releases of the year, but one that should not be missed, Ancient VVisdom (yes, it is spelt with two capital V's, because they can) deliver an unusual, challenging release to some, but a deeply rewarding one. Certainly the 'Sore thumb' of this countdown, but one of the finest releases of the year.


    Ancient VVisdom are a mostly acoustic band, with some folk sounding influences in their artillery, with subject matter based on the occult, the satanic and the pure evil, very similarly to the infamous Black Widow. Despite the purely acoustic guitar work, this still manages to have a unique heaviness than to what we may be accustomed to, using the power of mystery and eeriness rather than being ear splittingly loud.


    A Godlike Inferno is also incredibly memorable; you will be able to hum along to each and every song on here after one listen. Lyrically it also uses repetition to embed into your head almost becoming ritual like chanting, further adding to the albums air of mystery. These elements combine together to form a very strong collection of curious, chilling and mesmerising evil. Challenging, unique and yet strangely comforting and familiar, A Godlike Inferno is a true reward to anyone willing to delve in to the unknown.


Listen To: Alter Reality, The Opposition, Lost Civilization

     

Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's 11-10

No.11- Rival Sons- Pressure And Time

    It hasn't been a bad year for LA upstarts Rival Sons, in the year of their label début these guys have, amongst other milestones, been one of the highlights at High Voltage Festival and been opening act on the UK tour of some little known metal band by the name of Judas Priest!! The heights that these guys have reached already are meteoric to say the least, and they have arguably become one of the biggest and best forces in the new Traditonal Metal revival with their blues fueled Led Zeppelin influenced brand of rock 'n' roll. Oh and their album Pressure And Time is an absolute corker.

    Arguably filling a void and curing an itch that Led Zep used to do, it isn't right to be comparing the two bands quite yet, with Led Zep's legacy almost unparalleled, but they are also the first name that comes to mind when looking at Rival Son's influences; singer Jay Buchanan also at times brings to mind Jack White and The White Stripes, but don't hold it against him. This is one of those rare trad revival albums that manages to sound fresh despite the well known influences, and also sounds immediately timeless.

    What it really has going for it is how many instantly great songs are on here, so many immediate anthems that will have you tapping your feet and nodding your head like a freak in seconds. Seriously listen to anything from 'All Over The Road' 'Pressure And Time' 'Gypsy Heart' 'Save Me' and 'Only One', if you don't have a smile on your face then I'd recommend you check you still have a pulse. Come summertime this record should be blaring from your speakers once again, it is such a fun album tailor made for the good times.

Listen To: All Over The Road, Pressure And Time, Only One

No.10- Letlive.-Fake History

    Arguably a controversial choice in the 2011 countdown as technically Fake History was released in 2010, but only got a UK release early 2011, so in my opinion still counts, so there, nurgh (very mature Chris, a career in the big publications obviously awaits). Besides this album is such a great album that it very much deserves to be recognised. With such an insane and unpredictable live show almost becoming legendary, Letlive have had quite a buzz surrounding them this year with the UK's first real opportunity to see what all the fuss is about these guys, their shows have been getting rave reviews, and with the addition of this collection of songs to their name, it's not a surprise.

    Letlive's brand of post hardcore seems particularly chaotic and confusing whilst at the same time very accessible. Some parts will challenge the untrained listener whilst others will latch on to their sporadic use of cleaner passages and catchy choruses such as on 'Casino Columbus'. Jason Butler's  vocal performance is show stealing, showing at full force the chaotic energy of this band, going from ferocious harsh shrieking growls to forceful clean singing. The music as well is full of hooks and unpredictability, often throwing a curve ball as to what is coming next, yet still maintaining the craft of song writing throughout.

    These guys have been on the lips of many people this year, through live shows that have almost gone into folklore for their chaotic nature, to even just how nice the band are to talk to, and of course Fake History  is an album very worthy of great stature.

Listen To: Renegade '86, Casino Columbus, Homeless Jazz

 

Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's 13-12

No.13- Foo Fighters- Wasting Light

    It has taken quite a bit of time but finally this year, Foo Fighters released an album that proves them worthy of their status as the biggest modern day rock band. Previous albums have spewed out more anthemic hit singles than The X Factor has spewed anonymous half-wits who believe it is their divine right to be bigger than the love-child of Jesus and Justin Bieber; however their albums as of late have not lived up to this status.

    Wasting Light bucks this trend with ease, easily the best Foo Fighters album since 1997's There Is Nothing Left To Lose, arguably their best of all time. There are no definite stand out singles waiting to be released, no songs that are tailor made for your nan to enjoy on Radio 2, just pure and assured arena ready classic rock at some of the best it has been in years. Wasting Light has a more recognisable old school feel to it than much of their other work and, simply put, is brilliant.

    Pretty much every song on here is a potential highlight and will be embedded in your head and have you singing away right from the word go. 'White Limo' perhaps the most stand out track simply for it's constant use of harsh vocals that are the most vicious Dave Grohl has ever recorded. The likes of 'Dear Rosemary' 'These Days' and 'Matter Of Time' are also 100% suited for the massive sing-a-long at summer festivals or in massive arenas.


It isn't just Dave's performance that is striking here, as every single member of the band seems to be on terrific form, Taylor Hawkins especially gives a ferocious career best performance behind the kit. My only surprise about this album is that it has not completely ruled the airwaves much like Green Day's American Idiot album did years ago. Simply summarised, Foo Fighters have finally shown us just why they are perhaps the biggest band on the planet.


Listen To: Rope, Dear Rosemary, Walk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PkcfQtibmU




No.12-Decapitated- Carnival Is Forever


      After a brief period of disbandment for Decapitated after a car accident which tragically resulted in the death of drummer 'Vitek', guitarist and 'Vitek's brother 'Vogg' decided to resurrect the band with a new line up. This was an unbelievably brave decision, and thankfully the result is the Polish death-metallers' strongest album to date, Carnival Is Forever.

    Sporting, perhaps understandably under the circumstances, the bands creepiest and darkest album artwork to date, behind the cover is an equally dark, unforgiven and extremely heavy brand of furious death metal. There is seemingly less of a technical death metal sound on show here, Carnival...instead seems more inclined with straight up death metal with greater use of blast-beats, especially on album opener 'The Knife', but it still shows a wide range of style from the extreme metal palette. Also, apart from the inclusion of some eerie instrumental passages, and the serene final track, this is purely in your face and rarely lets you take a breather.

     Carnival Is Forever is an incredibly strong death metal work, especially for a band still relatively young; and with the inclusion of some riffs written by 'Vitek' is a great tribute to the late drummer as it picks up where they left off, trying to bludgeon your face repeatedly with crushing, punishing, extreme metal.

Listen To: United, View From A Hole, Pest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-jehaUOAWo
 

Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's 15 and 14

No 15- Anvil- Juggernaut Of Justice


    There cannot have been a single soul who saw Anvil: The Story Of Anvil and not have been touched by the inspirational story, struggle and ultimately the friendship of Anvil lead guitarist/singer Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner. The success of the movie thrust the once cutting edge band back into the spotlight after years of obscurity and being overtaken by more successful bands in the field they created such as Anthrax and Metallica. Whilst it is great to see people talking about Anvil once again, the band needed to make a great, worthwhile album again, otherwise the hype once again surrounding them could mean nothing.

    Thankfully Anvil have delivered a great album and appear to be in their best form since their classic Metal On Metal days. Arguably Anvil are no longer the innovative band they once were when they arguably created thrash and speed metal; and also there are much stronger albums out this year, but Juggernaut Of Justice is still a major triumph for the band and is a much welcome return to form. It genuinely deserves recognition purely because it see's Anvil doing well once again. Some problems that plagued previous releases are almost forgotten; the production sounds great and clear, the full band themselves are the tightest they have been in a long time since reverting to a 3 piece, and the songs themselves are simply some of the best they have made in a long time; the likes of the title track, 'On Fire' and 'Fukenh!' are more than good enough to sit with anything on Metal On Metal.


    What is also striking about this album is that there is a great sense that the band members themselves are having a whale of a time. Their friendship and commitment to the band never questioned when watching the documentary, it genuinely sounds like they are having fun in the studio. You can almost see 'Lips' massive Cheshire Cat like grin during the epic title track, and that is an amazing thing to pick up on. With a renewed love amongst metal heads for Anvil, Juggernaut Of Justice is the ultimate compliment to pay the fans.

Listen To: Juggernaut Of Justic, On Fire, Turn It Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11WmCG6Pwo


No 14- Hell- Human Remains

    Originally formed in 1982 during the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) era, a series of tragic events including the suicide of lead singer David G Halliday, Hell never managed to release a full début album, despite a few EP releases making quite an impact before they split in 1987. The remaining members however finally reunited in 2008 with the help of Sabbat members Martin Walkyier and Andy Sneap. A revised line-up finally released the first album Human Remains this year, and it is an absolute monster.

     Despite several members distancing themselves from the movement during interviews, this is undoubtedly NWOBHM esque of the likes of Angel Witch and early Iron Maiden, with very melodic guitar licks and high pitched wailing vocals. Human Remains sports some additional tricks to its book however.

    Firstly there are many references to the occult and satanic, completely evident in titles such as 'On Earth As It Is In Hell', 'Blasphemy And The Master' and 'The Devil's Deadly Weapon' alone; lyrical content seems to capture the essence of early modern periods of history (especially with reference to Shakespeare in 'Macbeth'). There is also a great sense of theatre here as well. It is a very grandiose piece of work; children singing nursery rhymes at the end of 'Plague And Fyre' and introductions of witches speeches at the start of 'Macbeth' being just a couple of examples. In fact for the most part it sounds like Hell's manager could have been Shakespeare himself; it also sometimes begins to venture into camp territories it has to be said, but rarely on the verge of silliness.

Listen To: On Earth As It Is In Hell, Plague And Fyre, Blasphemy And The Master
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpkuYxyYM2A
 

Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's 17 and 16

No.17- Revocation- Chaos Of Forms


    As mentioned before with The Interbeing, it is always a welcoming sight to see younger bands making albums that can match those by heavy weights, even at times out wrestling them. Whilst this is not their début album, Revocation are still a relatively young force, but boy do they pack a hefty punch.

    Whilst it was very well received by critics, Revocation's 2009 effort Existence Is Futile did not grab music publication headlines and may have slipped under the radar for some. Chaos Of Forms again has not jumped from the front covers but there has definitely been a greater buzz about it, and with very good reason; it is a devastating record.

    Striking a near perfect balance between the melodic and the heavy and thrashy, Chaos Of Forms is a terrific example of how melodic death metal should sound in a time where there are far too many bands doing the same thing over and over and making the genre stale. This album shows Revocation as a strikingly talented bunch; the guitar work of David Davidson and new addition and second guitarist, Dan Gargiulo is mesmerising and should see them soon compared with the great melodic death metal shredders such as Children Of Bodom's Alex Lahlio. This is one of the most impressive and fresh sounding displays of melodic death metal I have heard in a long time; Revocation need to be on your radar from now on.

Listen to: Cretin, Cradle Robber, No Funeral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3zB6di2yR4


No.16- Opeth- Heritage

 Sporting one of the years most eye catching, complicated, and rather fitting album covers of the year, Opeth's latest opus Heritage was certainly a polarizing record; some giving it full appraisal, others deriding their change in sound. Stripping away all their death metal nuances for a full on prog rock sound was arguably a brave, but natural, step for the band. Or if you prefer; Heritage is absolutely bonkers...but in a good way.

    Opeth have always had a large progressive element to their sound and have always cited the likes of Jethro Tull and Camel as major influences with the likes of Morbid Angel so it shouldn't have surprised many people. But even without the dark and heavy death metal elements and a full discarding of Mikael's hellish growls, this is still undeniably an Opeth album, and a fine one if that.

    The intricacies in the guitar work are obviously Opeth, building on from the acoustic passages that the band have been playing with for years before; and despite the lack of growls, Mikael's eerie wailing is a comforting sound and his clean vocals here are some of the strongest he has put to tape. As a prog rock album it is unsurprisingly complicated and there are elements that don't always reveal themselves immediately, and parts that are unexpected. At times it sounds like it is almost trying to transport you to a land of fantasy. Heritage is, as expected from Opeth, a quite challenging but rewarding listen, one which allows you to simply get lost in. Take the plunge into exploration, you won't be disappointed.

Listen To: The Devil's Orchard, I Feel The Dark, Nepenthe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxvN_GxgpF8

Muggin's Top 20 Of 2011- No's 19 and 18

No.19- The Interbeing- Edge Of The Obscure

    It is always exciting to see a brand new band come out of the woodwork and make an impact. Part of the burgeoning Djent scene/genre/style, which ever you prefer, Danes The Interbeing have, with their first album, instantly become ones to watch.

    It is complicated to decide whether or not Djent, which is pretty big news in today's scene, is its own stand alone genre or even just a technique, and I personal can't fully explain what it even represents or consists of other than Meshuggah influences in style of play and sound and progression, but it is a pretty recognisable sound and encompasses a wealth of talented bands, and The Interbeing seemingly came out of no where and climbed to near the top of the mountain.

    As a Djent act, Edge Of The Obscure has a great progressive element to it, but manages to do so and still be instantly catchy. It manages to be accessible yet very complicated. Whilst it shares many characteristics of it's peers with complicated riffs and time signatures, The Interbeing also know to not go overboard with the complexity and do write songs; there are plenty of clean passages to draw you in as well. There is even a subtle electronica element at work as well, which is subtle enough that it doesn't overpower at all such as in album highlight 'Face Deletion'.

Edge Of The Obscure is a fine album which is accessible enough at first to draw you in, but on repeated listens reveals new subtleties and tricks that keep it fresh. The Interbeing are definitely on the radar and their next moves will be exciting to see.

Listen to: Pulse Within The Paradox, Face Deletion, In The Transcendence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy3bteFz350


No.18- Saxon- Call To Arms


    Barnsley's finest sons Saxon are enjoying arguably their biggest surge of popularity of their entire careers. Always embraced by their old guard fans from back in the day, the NWOBHM legends have in recent years been embraced by younger generations, probably helped by the fact that they are still making some of the finest music of their careers.

    Call To Arms first and foremost, could not be a more British heavy metal record if it tried. The album artwork of the famous Lord Kitchener recruitment poster alone says it all, it couldn't be a greater visual representation of Great Britain's metal heritage if it also had a giant red, white and blue hammer with a cup of tea and biscuits. This is old school heavy metal album which has both nostalgia and relevence.

    There is no deviation from the classic Saxon sound, yet despite the fact that you have heard this all before it still sounds fresh and powerful and brilliant. Call To Arms will have you head banging, raising a beer and the horns and screaming a long. So many highlights to choose from which could all stand toe to toe with anything from classics like Wheels Of Steel, The Long Arm Of The Law, and Denim And Leather. One of Britain's great musical establishments show us why they are on top of their game and being embraced by a new generation.

Listen To: Back In '79, Surviving Against The Odds, When Doomsday Comes (Hybrid Theory)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJGFmoHwsPI