Top 5 All Time - Albums of 2021
Well, that year escalated quickly, huh? Holy shit. The pandemic raged on, shutting down even more shows, delaying even more releases, and bringing global vinyl production to a standstill.
5) Haunt - Unplugged, Volume 1
For the second year in a row, an acoustic album has made my Top 5. While this may seem a little biased, as Trevor has become a friend of mine, I am going to repeat last year’s sentiments and say that you can truly tell if a song is good by stripping away all the frills. Haunt’s first endeavor into an unplugged album is a roaring success; his songs sound just as good toned-down as they do at their normal, heavy metal speed. Choosing some of the best songs from his back catalog of music helped. Here’s to hoping that Volume 2 appears on next year’s list as well.
4) Thrice - Horizons/East
I can’t tell you how relieved I was when this album came out. Thrice had been my favorite band for a long, long time. But the hiatus came, and then when they came out of it, I wasn’t huge on the follow-up music. I felt that the two albums before Horizons/East could have been combined into one really good album, instead of two so-so albums. But with this album, I get it. It has finally clicked. They keep evolving, keep re-inventing, and keep making the music they like and want to. I am so proud of them for making this album and taking these risks, because boy did it pay off. Synths, electronics, jazz, weird time signatures, spoken word, atmospherics; it has it all and nothing you’d expect from a once “post-hardcore” band. As usual, most of the songs translate even better live than on the album. Welcome back, boys.
3) Knocked Loose - A Tear in the Fabric of Life
Very few people I know will be able to sit through that whole video. This was the surprise of the year for me. I have been a big Knocked Loose fan for a long time. They are certainly getting bigger and bigger in terms of popularity, so you could expect (and wouldn’t blame) them to maybe widen their appeal a bit. Nope. They leaned into the heavy in a MAJOR way and put out an absolutely brutal EP. And they did it with a surprise YouTube drop with an accompanying creepy animated film. Did not have that on my 2021 bingo card. Leave it to my producer of the year Will Putney to get this absolutely massive and terrifying sound out of them. I am genuinely scared to see them live again; the pit is sure to be violent but I’m not sure I can stay away.
2) Turnstile - Glow On
Talk about riding a wave. I know a lot of people out there are just finding out about Turnstile now, but they’ve been kicking ass for more than a decade. While their short, two-album back catalog of music elicits old school hardcore and punk, this album is just something different entirely. A genre-bending triumph the scene hasn’t experienced for quite some time, Glow On is fun, atmospheric, poppy, catchy, and raw/heavy all at once. From their epic record release show, to a late-night appearance, these guys are going to the moon on the back of this album.
1) Every Time I Die - Radical
As soon as Glow On came out, I kept saying that it would be album of the year if Every Time I Die somehow dropped the ball. Luckily for me, ETID does not know how to do that. So rare is a band that can age this gracefully. Evolving, while still also staying true to your beginnings, seems like an impossibility, but the boys pull it off with Radical. A massive 16-song album that just does not rest for one second. You know the riffs are going to be there, you know the witty lyrics will always come through, you know you’re gonna get whiplash headbanging to the breakdowns; but what sets this album apart is the emotion, the harmonics, and the fucking DRUMMING. My lord. Everything has just been elevated to another level. Personnel problems aside, it is so refreshing to have a band that is as consistent for as long as they have.
So excited to see them live in 2022 to support this seminal masterpiece. Also, much love to Will Putney for bringing the best out of this band. Producer of the year, album of the year.
Honorable Mentions
Gojira - Fortitude: These guys rule, not much else there is to say. Huge album, massive sound, heavy as hell.
Manchester Orchestra - The Many Masks of God: Was never huge on this band, but this album is so god damn good. Really great alt/indie rock record for when a change of pace is needed.
Haunt - Beautiful Distraction: If Unplugged wasn’t in my Top 5, this one would have been. Awesome milestone album for a guy that doesn’t know how to stop making music. He averages 2 albums a year. Absurd.
th1rt3en - A Magnificent Day for an Exorcism: My favorite lyricist ever teams up with Daru Jones (drummer for Jack White) and Marcus Machado, an insanely-talented guitarist, to create hip-hop like you’ve never heard. It’s alive and well.
Nas - King’s Disease II: The GOAT is back. This album was so fresh and fun. Listened to this a LOT when in the car.
BTBAM - Colors II: This one requires time, but it’s worth it. Lots of head-bangy goodness. Hard to touch the original Colors, but this comes close.
Former Member - Manageable Scratches: The frontman of Kid Dynamite made an album produced by Will Yip. That should be all I have to say. Great feel good rock album
Ignite - Anti-Complicity Anthem: Out of the 15 albums on this page, this is the one I listened to the most by far. I didn’t want to include a 2-song EP in my Top 5, but to leave it off the list entirely would be criminal. New singer, no problem. I cannot wait for their new album. I fucking love Ignite.
One Step Closer - This Place You Know: Hardcore is alive and well, my friends. Great SXE hardcore band like the days of yore. Check out their record release show on hate5six.
Converge - Bloodmoon: I: Man, these guys really do no wrong. Take Converge, mix with Steven Brodsky and Chelsea Wolfe, and voila. Excited for future Bloodmoons.
2022 Most Anticipated
Drain
Ignite
Underoath
La Armada
Cave In
Coheed & Cambria
