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| by Cosmo Lee |
I found much to love about metal in 2009. Despite the New Waves Of Music Already Made Before, the conveyor belt of high fructose corn syrup metal, and enough Internet negativity for a hundred Swift Boat campaigns, I ended the year feeling positive about metal.
Ironically, to do so, I had to look outside it. Midway through the year, I burned out hard on metal. I started seeking something, anything that didn’t involve people yelling over high gain distortion. In the process, I rediscovered my love for all kinds of other music: blues, Latin jazz, classical, techno, hip-hop. More importantly, I rediscovered what it’s like to be a fan: to go to shows for fun, to discover art on one’s own terms, to enjoy it for what it is.
At some point, I decided to apply this feeling to metal. I started rediscovering old albums. I started looking for the good in new bands. (This is harder than it sounds. After years of new bands flooding my inbox each day, my filters have become extremely sensitive.) And I saw the metal tree was indeed strong. The roots were healthy. (The Shadow Kingdom label is much to credit. I’m listening right now to Iron Man’s latest album; it’s a happy reminder that bands can still write songs.) So were the branches. Converge’s “Axe to Fall” gives me a charge I haven’t felt since Kill ‘Em All.
Metal has become so much larger than any of us. You don’t have to drink its ocean. You need only learn where to cast your line. Here’s to good fishing in 2010.
- – -
1. Converge – Axe to Fall
2. Horseback – The Invisible Mountain
3. Kylesa – Static Tensions
4. Suffocation – Blood Oath
5. Burnt by the Sun – Heart of Darkness
6. Sinister Realm – Sinister Realm
7. Saros – Acrid Plains
8. Revocation – Existence Is Futile
9. Dreaming Dead – Within One
10. Culted – Below the Thunders of the Upper Deep
For my top 10 in haiku, see here (near bottom).
Wait, you burned out on metal this year? I read this site everyday, and somehow I didn't notice… maximum points for observation!
Anyway, I guess your list isn't a great surprise, given you've posted about them before – although I was not expecting Horseback to feature
I think 2009 has been an interesting year, with a large number of really good albums. I think there's only two albums featuring in both your list and mine, which is:
- Blut aus Nord – Memoria Vetusta II
- Burnt by the Sun – Heart of Darkness
- Cobalt – Gin
- Gorod – Process of a New Decline
- Insomnium – Across the Dark
- Krallice – Dimensional Bleedthrough
- Napalm Death – Time Waits For No Slave
- Nile – Those Whom the Gods Detest
- Revocation – Existence is Futile
- While Heaven Wept – Vast Oceans Lachrymose
Also, a special mention; best album by an unsigned band I heard this year only via this blog:
- Stonecutters – Christhammer
Much respect.
Keith
Utech Records
I burned out this past year as well but on pretty much everything except metal, actually. I've discovered more outstanding music through this site than anywhere else on the interwebs. Keep up the great work, Cosmo.
I wholeheartedly echo Floodwatch – Invisible Oranges is theee place to discover new metal. I really enjoy your work Cosmo. My top ten list is below. Notice how many of these bands are ones that were featured on I.O. at some point this year….
Mastadon – Crack the Skye
The Baroness – The Blue Album
Goatwhore – tearing out the eyes of god
Asphyx – Death? the Brutal Way
Dreaming Dead – Within One
Burnt by the Sun – Heart of Darkness
Kvlt ov Azazel – Destroying the Sacred
Napalm Death – Time Waits for No Slave
Vried – Milorg
Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire
I picked up the Horseback record on Cosmo's recommendation. I also (finally) got into Converge this year. Many thanks for these things, Cosmo. I also loved "Static Tensions", though I was kinda bummed Kylesa didn't play "Nature's Predators" or "Running Red" either time I saw them. But I digress: thanks again, Cosmo and the rest of I.O. for turning me on to some killer stuff this year. Oh, and if Keith from Utech reads this: make a shirt out of that Horseback artwork! Seriously.
Thanks, all, for the kind words.
Matt – The show must go on! I liked all the records on your list, to varying degrees.
Anon – I'm hardly an expert in Latin jazz. I just like listening to it on LA's jazz station, which has great Latin jazz programming. I've bought a few albums randomly over the years, but I am not in a position to recommend anything – sorry! I bet there are great Latin jazz resources around the Internet, though.