*DISCLAIMER! All rankings are based on 3 major factors. 1. I actually have to like the album. Nothing is included because it's on everyone else's list or because I think it would make my list look better. 2. I
can listen to it no matter what I am in the mood for. 3. Overall play count/I actually paid money for it. Remember, this is my opinion. It's not overly analytical. Most, if not all, rankings are VERY fluid.
Don't get your panties in a bunch because your favourite band is lower than "that fucking piece of shit band!"*
#40: haarp - The Filth (USA, Housecore): Filthy, slow and heavy as shit. A grizzly bear is dragged out of hibernation and forced against his will to party like Marilyn Manson at Mardi Gras. *The Filth* sounds like the morning after. The production could use some work but the album leaves me feeling exhausted and relieved. Just listening to it gets out all the anger and tension. It very cathartic. Standout track: "Plurimus Humilus, Ciacco"
#39. Cancer Bats - Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones (CAN, Distort): The first Canadian act on the list. These Torontonians continue to deliver their own flavour of Southern-fried hardcore. It's not much different (or better) than previous effort, Hail, Destroyer but why ruin a good thing? B,M,S & B is loaded with catchy riffs and scream/sing along vocals. This is tonnes of fun to listen to and vocalist Liam Cormier might have the most fuct-up hair in metal. Standout track: "Dead Wrong"
#38. Hour of Penance - Paradogma (ITA, Unique Leader): Italy's Hour of Penance shatter any preconception you may have had that Rome is a nice place. Nice places don't breed the kind of brutality on display here. Thisis fucking death metal the way I like it. Fast, brutal, and played with the kind of skill that lets you know these dudes are pro without being a total wankfest. (I'm looking at you Sumerian Records) If I'm in the right mood, this could rank Top 20 easy. I hear HoP just signed to Prosthetic. Hopefully
that means more people will be exposed to this wicked band. Standout track: "A Thousand Christs"
#37. Melechesh - The Epigenesis (NED, Nuclear Blast): Originally from Israel, Melechesh relocated to the Netherlands and I think the move had some influence on the record. Maybe being in Europe pushed them into a more straight ahead black metal album than Emissaries. Yet it still maintains plenty of Middle Eastern influence. Most notably in the cadence and instrumentation. This album could easily rank much higher but I
haven't had much time with it. Standout track: "Defeating the Giants"
#36. Wolvhammer - Black Marketeers of World War III (USA, Init): This is another one that could easily crack my Top 10 depending on my mood and getting the chance to hear it more. Dirty, crusty, thrashy black metal. The debut full length from these Minnesotans is certainly pulling me further into the black metal world. It may not be "troo" but that doesn't matter. It's not isolationist or basement black metal either. I look forward to
hearing lots more Wolvhammer. Standout track: "Snaketongues"
#35. Kataklysm - Heaven's Venom (CAN, Nuclear Blast): This is not being included just to bump up the Canadian content. No, it's because it's awesome. This Montreal outfit consistently releases high quality death
metal. In a crowded Montreal scene, Kataklysm stand as veterans and leaders. They back up their chops with frequent touring and have a tight connection with the fans. They live for this. Standout track: "At The Edge Of The World"
#34. Immolation - Majesty and Decay (USA, Nuclear Blast): Wow. looks like Nuclear Blast is running away with Label Of The Year. At least so far. New York's Immolation have crafted a dark, depressive, evil sounding slab of NYDM on eighth album, Majesty and Decay. It fits the album cover quite nicely actually. It's one of those death metal albums that makes we wish I had long hair so I could circle headbang at breakneck speeds. And look cool doing it. Standout track: "Majesty and Decay"
#33. D.I.S. - Critical Failure (USA, Deep Six): This album will leave you out of breath. From screaming along. Crunchy guitars over punk inspired drums and hardcore vocals featuring members of Phobia,
Impaled, Exhumed and more. How can you go wrong? Well,ya can't. This is music made for moshing. D.I.S. stands for Destroyed In Seconds. That's probably what happens to the club when the whirlwind of
violence erupts in front the stage at their shows. Pure ass-kickery! Standout track: "cf"
#32. The Sword - Warp Riders (USA, Kemado): The Sword tend to get stuck with the label of a "hipster" band. So what? Just because hipsters like them doesn't mean the rest of us can't. They flat out rock. Warp Riders is a sci-fi concept album with at least something to do with space witches. Awesome. With stoner grooves and the catchiest riffs this side of a fishin' pole, the best thing to do is sit back, pack a bowl and cross the void. Standout track: "Tres Brujas"
#31. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis (USA, Season of Mist/Party Smasher): I've never really been a DEP fan. I couldn't really dig the mathcore thing. I never really gave it a fair shot either. I'd hear a song and think "fuck man! It's just too...too...too much!" So by 2010 I had kind of written them off. But when I heard Greg Puciato guest on the Soulfly album I thought I'd give Option Paralysis a shot. Because Puciato is fucking amazing! While DEP is still pretty abstract, Option Paralysis seems a little more accessible than I remember from previous recordings. Plus, Puciato is so dynamic and versatile! Gotta give credit where its due. Standout track: "Gold Teeth on a Bum"
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