My Favorite Top 10 Bands that Are Not Metal... But, Almost...

I love metal. A third of my music collection is metal. It's what I'm drawn to. Yes. It's great. Also, however, I like bands that ride that line between rock and metal. That is what this list is about. Some of them helped me to develop my musical taste and acted as a bridge to heavier music. Whatever the reason, the almost metal holds a special place in my musical preference persona... here are my favorites (in no particular order) with pictures of the covers of my favorite albums by those bands. Rock on.

1. Local H: When Steve Goss gave me a copy of "Ham Fisted" in high school I had no idea that I would get so into Local H. They rock. For a trio, they rock even more. Scott Lucas is a well rounded musician (I also really like his band, The Married Men), but Local H is where he shines the most for me. My favorite album of theirs is "Here Comes The Zoo". It's the heaviest and the songs drive in an intense way that gets my blood flowing. Lots of people only know Local H because of their one big hit in the nineties (off of "As Good as Dead", their most poppy album... I won't mention the song) and a couple more minor hits from around the same time. They kept making music, though, and touring, and getting better. I saw them live in the early two-thousands and the show kicked ass.

2. Therapy?: I'm not sure I could have ever got into metal without hearing about Therapy? in high school. The band crosses over into metal (I think they even toured with Metallica once??), but somehow the music is too simple or basic, or punk, or something else. In any event, the songwriting is top notch, albeit a little weird at times. A trio, they do so much with just 3 instruments and I think Andrew Cairns has one of the best rock voices in the biz (underrated!!). They're from Ireland, fyi. I heard of them when my family had a foreign exchange student from France was was very into them and have yet to meet another fan of their music. However, for me they remain a band that I jump at any chance to hear something new from, or something I didn't have already. My favorite album remains "Infernal Love", most likely because it's the first I heard. "Troublegum" is likely the most metal. Even their new stuff is good.

3. King Tuff: Ian at CD World told me about King Tuff and I'm glad he did. They're a bit punk, kinda doomy, kinda stoner rock... I dunno. The songs are short and to the point. The style is straight up and in your face. Too much of them and you might get tired of the vocal sound, but you'll eventually come back for more. This is a band I haven't known about for too long, but has quickly entered my regular music rotation and remained. My favorite album is "Black Moon Spell" (The purple one), then the self titled (red one), then "Was Dead" (the blue one), but they're all good and worth listening to. Great riffs galore.

4. Caustic Casanova: I keep waiting for Caustic Casanova to branch fully into metal, but the more I listen to them I realize that they just rock hard. It's not metal. However, they might as well be. Their music is so solid and in your face. I have the feeling that they just don't care that it's not super polished or perfect, it's just good. The vocals hit a rasp that is perfect for their style of music and tone. The instruments are constantly switching it up, the music isn't predictable and constantly interesting. What a great band. Once I got into their latest release, "Breaks", I was drawn to seek out their older stuff. I actually heard about them through the Retro Futurist record subscription, with their 2 song release, "Pantheon: Vol 1", which rocks hard. I like them so much I mailed them a Christmas card last year.

5. Floater: One of my favorite bands of all time, I've seen Floater live more times than I've seen any other band live... too many times to count. It seems like in Eugene, people feel strongly one way or the other, they either love or hate this band. I love them. Also, I'm convinced that if anybody who doesn't care for them took the time to explore the diversity of their albums, they'd find something they like. Like many other bands, they get remembered for one or two releases that were the most popular at some point in their career. This trio has never changed members and they've continued to practice and tour for decades now, they're tighter than ever and sound better than ever. The music is bass heavy (although the guitar has taken a front seat in more recent releases) and Rob has a great voice for all kinds of music, demonstrated by the diversity of sound in their albums. It is a clean and pure voice that hits the notes in the right spots. Unique from any other band, ever... there is only one Floater. My favorite album: Angels in the Flesh and Devils in the Bone

6. Freedom Hawk: I first heard of this band as they were coming out with "Into Your Mind" and I stumbled across Small Stone Records' website. Somehow the band reminds me of dad rock, rockin' and little psychedelic, with blues influence. They never quite get heavy enough to roll into metal, but it doesn't matter. Their sound is accessible and I think they would sound good alongside metal, blues, stoner, doom, or psychedelic bands. I don't know much about them and only got into their stuff in 2015. Worth a listen.

7. Fu Manchu: This band first grabbed my attention when they released "King of the Road" and I was a DJ/Music Director at WSKB in college. I was not into metal at that point. I loved their sound. It's stoner rock and their sound has done a lot to define the stoner blues genre. While I like a lot of their stuff, the before mentioned album and "Gigantoid" are my favorites. Maybe it's because I got into sci fi themed music right around when "Gigantoid" was released, so it was good timing. Whenever I put on a Fu Manchu album, I think to myself... damn, I need to listen to them more.

8. Ugly Kid Joe: Wow. What a great band. Once again, a band that has been remembered for a couple songs, but has done so much more. Whenever I pay attention while listening to Ugly Kid Joe I am reminded over and over of how a guitar solo should work. Theirs are shredding. Much of their music is just fun, so maybe it's hard to take them seriously sometimes, but they are masters of their craft and forever an awesome band. Recently, I found a copy of "Menace to Sobriety" at a thrift store and can't believe it took me so long to find that gem. I'll always love their classic, "As Ugly As They Wanna Be" and the music videos from my high school daze. Their new album is solid, too, though ("Uglier Than They Used Ta Be). Many have tried at the party rock sound, extreme few have perfected it like Ugly Kid Joe. Plus, how awesome is it that one dude is wearing the Sweaty Nipples t-shirt in the pic on one of their early albums??

9. Henry's Child: There are quite a few pictures in my family's photo albums from the 90's of me wearing my Henry's Child shirt, it was a favorite of mine for many years through high school and early college. It fit right and I often got to explain... yea, it's a pretty cool band. They were signed by Elemental Records and I had a chance to see them around when they were working on their second album, "Clearly Confused". While I was interning with Elemental I got to see them in the studio,  an unbelievably awesome experience to have as a young person. The album is a work of art. It's cohesive and well done, and each member of the band delivers his part flawlessly. I was sure at the time that they'd be the next big thing. I got to see them recently after a couple decades have passed and they're still a great great great band (and hella nice guys, to boot!). The music is epic. They've put on a couple of the best live shows I've ever seen.

10. Mr. Big: I'm not quite exactly sure the trajectory that Mr. Big's career took, but for me the album "Lean Into It" remains one of my favorite almost metal albums, so they made the list. Yea, I heard of them because of their one mega hit. And, I never had the urge to seek out more of their albums. One thing I know is that "Lean Into It" rocks. They play great solos. And, despite how cheesy and 80's their music sounds, I like it. It's an album to play while driving around on a summer day. I heard of them because my friend Puck once worked for MTV Taiwan and showed me his interview with them. That was pretty cool to see and a fun story from my youth... Hey, Puck... tell again how you interviewed Mr. Big. Get out that video again, will ya? Ah man. Good times.

Yes, there are a lot more bands that are almost metal. Feel free to mention your favorite in the comments. 

When your local music store has a sale

Hello. This past weekend my local music store had a store wide sale, which translates to the fact that I couldn't stay away.  Here were my pick ups...

King Tuff "Was Dead" I've liked King Tuff for a couple years now.  Somehow they were a natural transition after I got into The Black Keys' "Brothers". Maybe they're a little more punk?  Or, perhaps the stripped down sound and muddy simple guitar riffs,  saying so much,  make the band great.  In any event, they're not really metal,  but I put them with my metal albums because somehow they ARE metal... if that makes sense.

Car Seat Headrest "Teens of Denial" I already bought their discography off of bandcamp, but couldn't resist picking up the CD. It feels good to hold in the hands.  I'm so sad I hadn't heard of them yet when they came through Eugene last year. Well... now I have and I hope they come back.

Gza/Genius "Beneath The Surface" Have you heard "Liquid Swords"?? Yea, I had to get this.  Sometimes I crave hiphop and this is as good as it gets.  It's smart and withstands the test of time despite being about 18 years old. Badass raps.

Judas Priest "Redeemer of Souls" I haven't listened to it yet,  but how could it be anything short of great?? Judas Priest! Legendary. Here's an album I've been waiting to find a sweet deal on since it came out... used and 25% off. Yes. Today was that day.

Rock on!

Robert Earl Keen, Striker, Sanctifyre, Weresquatch, Toxic Witch... A great weekend for live music

This past weekend I had the chance to see 5 bands live. All of them kicked some ass, so I'm going to tell you about it.

Robert Earl Keen and his band played the WOW Hall on Friday, January 20th and one fine aspect of this show? No opener! I got to arrive, have a quick beverage downstairs at the WOW, and get right up front to enjoy the show. I like to think that it was some of the crowd navigating muscles that I've developed through going to so many metal shows that helped me hold that spot through the show. In actuality, I'm not that tough, so it was probably really just the mellowness of the crowd out that evening to see R.E.K. In any event, the show was thoroughly entertaining and seeing this band from right in front was possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Keen is not the most technical guitar player I've seen, but I knew that going in as I've seen him before with Lyle Lovett. That show was just the two of them on a stage with acoustic guitars, not quite the same experience as this show, featuring the full band. R.E.K.'s songs hit the familiar combo of G, C, and D over and over, but his song writing is terrific and his voice is as good as it has ever been. Despite the obvious road weary of the band, they delivered. Keen makes up for the fact that he's not going to shred your face off by surrounding himself with a top notch band. The drums were solid and the young fiddle player got his job done. What really shined, though, was the guitar, lap steel, and mandolin. The guitar player, from Texas, brought all his chops and added an electricity to each song that honestly would have been enough even if the rest of the band wasn't there. But, he traded off solos with the lap steel player who solidified the experience as "country", but the kind that nobody complains about. This band is what you always hope will be playing when your friend gets into some new music, that's country... instead of  "new country".  The mandolin player, from Australia, was also quite the master of his craft. So, there. I totally recommend seeing Robert Earl Keen with his band on tour this year if you get the chance... even if you're not a fan yet... or think you don't like country.

Sanctifyre opened up the show at Old Nick's last night, Sunday January 22. This band from Eugene keeps getting better and better, and they're outgrowing the boundaries of this little town. They're too good. I've seen them many times since members were still in Dark Confidant and the potential they had back then has grown into a professionalism and polished quality that outmatches anything else I've heard from Eugene in a long time. They have two songs on bandcamp and are rumored to release a full length sometime in the not too distant future. I'm looking forward to it. Influences from Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are undeniable, along with that quality of "we're keeping classic metal alive", that is infectious. So, many good things to come. They played well last night... as is to be expected from dudes who practice this much.

Toxic Witch was next on the list at Old Nick's. I'm going to be honest and say, after hearing this band twice, I still can't get into them. However, that's not say they're not worth checking out. Each of the musicians is very good. The lead guitar has unmistakable Dave Mustane influence and it is a shred fest. Also, the drumming is interesting enough to keep you watching. The vocalist, who plays the second guitar, is pretty darn good too and when the two guitarists riff together, it's pretty cool. The bass is solid, as well, so no complaints on the band. I feel like they have potential that hasn't been realized yet and I'm excited to see where they might go.

Weresquatch came down from Portland to join this metal melee. This was the second time I've seen them and they're super good. I typically can't get into harsh vocals, but I get into these. They fit the music. Also, for a three piece, each member makes sure their presence is felt in the perfect way to compliment the music. If you haven't already heard their album "Frozen Void", it's a must listen. They seem to be in step with some of my other favorite bands from the North West, such as Brain Dead and Toxic Holocaust. If you like those, check out Weresquatch. The live performance songs were short and to the point, and didn't waste your time. The solos were solid and didn't try to do too much. Also, on stage the band has tremendous personality.

Striker was the headliner, from Alberta, Canada, at Old Nick's. These guys immediately evoked the energy of the 80s (at least what I imagine a metal show would have felt like back then) and they have their set down. Unfortunately, I thought the sound lacked a bit for their set, but that's not their fault. Also, they had a bigger setup than most bands I've seen at Old Nick's, so maybe that had something to do with it. It still sounded decent. The band was solid all the way through, despite their individual songs lacking a distinct quality. They are a polished road band, in look and sound. It was also somewhat refreshing to hear a clean vocalist, singing something kinda cheesy. I like that style of metal and it seems to not be as popular right now, unless it's way way overdone. This was not overdone. I think fans of Dokken would appreciate this kind of thing.

So, overall, a great weekend for live music.

Last night I had a thought while browsing Bandcamp. There is more music and better music coming out now than ever before.

Some years ago I thought that that the best age of music had come and gone with the 70s. My reasoning at that time was that technology had come to a peaking point. This included the widespread availability and relatively cheap price point of electric instruments. Also, recording high quality sound was possible and easier than it had ever been before. Since that point, with the rise in popularity of television and then internet, and also including video games and other distractions, it seemed to me that it would be difficult for any individual to dedicate the time and practice to totally master an instrument as individuals had done before. For me, probably because I was such a huge Led Zeppelin fan, the 70s seemed like the decade where great musicians where able to really be put on display. So many had been able to dedicate themselves into mastering an instrument. Obviously many musicians had been masters of their craft prior to that, but now it was possible to blend that mastery with THE ELECTRIC GUITAR (and other musical possibilities enhanced by technology) and hence, the birth of metal and all kinds of new other sounds happened. It seemed like never again would these two forces of technology and musicianship combine... at least in my mind, that seemed true.

Okay. Now it's 2017. The internet makes it possible to distribute, or at least put music out there, in many more ways to many more people than ever before. This also has the down side that there is tons of crap to sift through and it is often difficult to find the gems. But, you know how one thing leads to another? One band mentions that this and that person helped out on one song, so you look up that person's album. Then you find that he/she is on tour right now with some other band and you look them up. Then, you talk to your friend who also likes that band and that friend makes a couple recommendations. Whammo. Soon you have a whole list of very potentially cool new music to check out. So, I've been following paths to seek out bands that are a little outside of the mainstream and in some cases, a lot outside of the mainstream. I'm looking for the ones that really resonate with what I'm doing right now, interested in, feeling, etc. etc. Yes, a lot happens on bandcamp, I'm basically addicted to that website right now. But, not all of it does. I find bands through bands through bands through bands and there's so much out there.

So, that leads me to my thought for today. There's better music being crafted in this day and age than ever before. So much is built off music of the past. So much is new. Musicians are still wholeheartedly dedicating themselves to their craft and they're coming up with fresh ways to do it. It's dern impressive. I'm sure a list will present itself at some time in the coming months... stuff that has really got me interested. For now, though, I hope that you are encouraged to do a little exploring. It's nearly impossible to find a quality radio station these days, at least where I live. There is the college stations, but really nothing else that plays anything besides regurgitated popular "hits". I'd rather barf. Even when they play songs or bands I like, it's the stuff I've heard too often. College stations, I still give a way thumbs up. Keep doing what you're doing.

There's so much out there on the internet that it can be overwhelming sometimes. But, the great bands are still out there. They're just not doing it in front of stadium crowds like Led Zeppelin did. They're doing it in living rooms and in tiny venues, and they're releasing it free or really cheap. If you find something good, encourage them. Spend a little money on a really good band or send them a Christmas card. Get out there. Get excited for music. 

How did I miss this album? Freeman by Aaron Freeman

I've been a Ween fan for lots of years. They were a band that came along in my life right around when I needed to hear something weird and creative, guys that were creating something that I longed for. Chocolate and Cheese was the first of their albums that I heard, in about 2002. I was offended and loved it all at once, and eventually just loved it. It wasn't long before I went searching for their other stuff and came across The Mollusk and then I was hooked. I had to get all their albums and as soon as they came out with a new album after that, I picked it up and played it a lot. That's pretty much how being a fan of a band works, right?

So, how did I miss Freeman when it came out in 2014? I cannot say. I am glad to have come across it recently, though. The album, overall, reminds me of what I loved about the mellower side of Ween and hearing the familiar vocals warms my heart. This album reminds me of Ween, yet it also sounds like a solo album. The music is simpler and cleaner than a lot of what Ween made is, and it's tighter for the most part as well. While what appealed to me about Ween in many ways was their ability to sound great and interesting while being very improvisational, this music is great for opposite reasons. It sounds to me like all the tracks were layered in pieces and then carefully aligned. I don't know if that's how it was made, but it sounds that way to me. I'm listening to it and wondering if Aaron Freeman had these songs completely planned out in his head prior to recording even the first lick.

Another feature that strikes me is how different each song is from the one before it and the one after. These songs were put in order on purpose. They stand out from each other and were put in purposeful order. I enjoy that. Too many albums today sound like a bunch of singles. Not here. The songs feature similar instrumentation and sound, yet the songwriting and riffs set them apart. It's truly good stuff. And, despite the simplicity, it seems to me that a lot of thought went into this album... even if that was over the course of years before the album was made, possibly in a relatively short time. I can imagine that.

If nothing else, check out this album for the solos. They're super sexy and well crafted, with all the right wrong notes in all the sweet places to make solos that sound original and distinct. They fit the songs so well that they're almost like a second vocalist at times, as many great solos are. It's some good stuff and has no lack of shred, as well.

There ya go...

Vinyl Sales Up, Music Sales Down... My thoughts

Reading a few articles lately, it's great to hear that vinyl sales are up in the US and in Europe. Visiting local places around town, seeing vinyl on the shelves in places other than the back of local record stores is an obvious sign that it's not just collectors reliving their nostalgia by playing occasional vinyl. All this warms my music heart.

However, a little more google searching quickly indicates that overall music sales is down. This is the part that bothers me. It bothers me in a big way. Especially when considering the overall decline of the local record store across the country. What is going on??

In this day and age of the internet making it more and more easy to display and distribute tunes, and when just about anybody with a laptop or a fancy phone can record pretty high quality music, why is music sales down? Music is more and more accessible than it has ever been.

I know there will be thoughts and talk of, "well, I can get it for free off of some streaming website, so why shouldn't I?" Or, there will be thinking like, "I can hear everything I want on some streaming site, so why bother with albums?" Then, there I am shaking my head in frustration and disbelief.

First, I consider a site like bandcamp.com, which I love and use regularly, and will probably write a whole entry on someday. It's a great site. I can't say it enough. It helps funnel money from the fan directly to the artist and takes a very very small cut. It's all in the artist's favor. The artist can share their music the way they want to. But, what's the point? The site insists that a high quality download is available, and that means wav or better. This is absolutely essential as an option in my mind as far as listening to music is concerned.

The resurgence of vinyl is so heartening because vinyl is a pretty high quality sound option, maybe the best generally available in a home. People seem to always think of the nostalgic crackles and pleasure of putting the needle on the record because it reminds them of a bygone age. More importantly though, with a high quality record, a high quality record player, and a high quality record player needle, this is the best way a person can hear music in their home. It's about as close to being in the studio as it is possible to get.

I bring this up because quality is not generally available on the music streaming sites (although I think some are starting), free downloads, or even through many digital purchase sites. Instead you get mp3s. An mp3 is less than 20% the file a wav is, even a high quality one. It is not smaller like a wall clock made more conveniently into a watch, as seems to be an ample comparison to what many think. Instead, think of a pizza cut into 5 pieces and somebody ate 4, what you're left with is less pizza. It's still pizza, but far less satisfying and it cannot sustain you. At least not if you really like pizza. I've joked that I'll buy mp3's over a CD when they cost 20% of the price for a CD, so about $2.00 an album is probably what they're worth, by my estimates. Otherwise I'll take the CD or vinyl.

Now, I have some digital music in the form of mp3s in my personal music collection and I've certainly listened to digital streaming sites. There are plenty of times I put them on because I'm not really paying attention, the music is in the background solely. I'm cooking, doing some work around the house, or talking with friends, having people over, or listening to it on tiny earbud headphones where the quality doesn't matter that much. There is a place for mp3s, sure. However, I also have times when I must listen to music I love, that's a part of me, that has sustained me. When I'm in that kind of mood, the mp3 just won't do. I imagine all people must have this inside of them (although, maybe I'm wrong... the trends in music sales would certainly indicate so). I can't imagine not being able to listen to my favorite albums in high quality.

Mp3s had their glory days. They made sense when "space" was expensive on a computer. Having mp3s rather than wav, or some other high quality file, was necessary because it meant having space for other stuff on your hard drive, or on your external drive. Nowadays that is not the case, though. Computers have massive hard drives (if you want one) and external TB size drives are pretty darn cheap. There's storage on-line. Even phones can hold quite a bit (although this is one place I might advocate for streaming sites or mp3s). There's plenty of space for as much high quality digital as anybody could need. I do know this. A person could not listen to all the music put on a TB hard drive, even in high quality files, there just simply would not be enough hours in a day or days in a year. If somehow you did, though, you could always get a 2 TB drive or two 2 TB drives, it's still only a couple hundred bucks!

Digital streaming sites can be fun and sometimes I find something new on one. More often, though, I have the feeling that whatever algorithms the site is using don't quite fit my tastes. I'm left thinking, do I have to hear the same freaking radio hit song by one of my favorite bands? Play a different song, one that doesn't get played all the time. And, aren't there any other bands that fit this style? Why isn't there more variety on the digital streaming? So, I turn it off and go to my own music collection. 

I also have to make the point that often music makes more sense and sounds better when complimented by the songs around it, on the album it was intended. A lot of work, time, and energy often goes into ordering songs, completing liner notes, selecting the right artwork, and everything else that is an album. Music streaming sites don't account for this at all and digital music often does a poor job of accounting for this. It's probably the main reason I'll always be a fan of hard copies of albums.

Also, when did this sense come that music should be free? It's hard work making music, touring, promoting, and living on a tight budget. The vast vast vast majority of working musicians are in this boat. They also work second jobs. They also find a way to be creative and blow our minds with music that touches the soul. Shouldn't this be compensated for? Shouldn't we, as fans, be able to kick a few bucks (because that's usually all that it costs to make a musician feel satisfied... buy an album or shirt... at a show or on line) to support someone's dreams and art? I definitely think so. The vast majority of musicians I've met are  just trying to make it like everybody else and work on something they love. And, they very often do it for free or for very little. 

So, the long and the short of it is... think about going down to your local record store and making the purchase of music that's high quality... CDs and vinyl. Sometime try listening to it back to back with an mp3 of the same music, I bet you'll notice a difference. Some artists are even releasing studio quality downloads with Vinyl or CD purchases (The download that comes with Ryan Adams' deluxe edition of Heartbreaker is breathtaking!). If you don't have a set already, I think it's worth the time and money to get some good speakers, and a stereo, or some high quality headphones, you'll hear all the parts of the songs that we're being left out with the low quality earbuds or computer speakers. High quality sound equipment will usually last decades if it's taken care of. Or, if you can't leave your home to go down the street to a record store, explore a site like bandcamp.com. You just might find something new there, too, and you'll get a lot from spending a little, and you'll show respect to artists by compensating them for the work they do. Although, there's a lot of free stuff available there, too. Enjoy music. It is a reflection of life.

Keep the songs alive.

-Jason

Favorite Albums 2015 (1-5-16)

Favorite albums from 2015

Jason Renslow·Tuesday, January 5, 2016

It's hard to believe that early in this year I was worried that there weren't going to be too many memorable albums. Last year and the year before were so great that it seemed impossible that releases could come out this year that would stand up to those. Yet, here I am, the first week of 2016, reflecting back and having a darn difficult time deciding what my top 10 releases were for 2015. Of course, it's all totally subjective and I'd love to hear about what some of your top picks were. I just love music so darn much and spend so much time thinking about albums, this kind of thing is so fun to write. I included the album art because I think album art is an under appreciated art, but it’s a essential component of the “album” in my mind. So, in no particular order…

Ryan Adams - 1989. It probably could have been predicted by anybody that knows how much I love Ryan Adams' music that I'd pick this one. So, I'll get it out of the way. I still like his self titled album (last year) a bit better than this one, but 1989 a great release. How does he do it? Heart melting… rock'n'roll… pop… country… metal… etc. etc. He never ceases to amaze me. If somebody had told me even a year ago that I'd be listening to and loving songs written by Taylor Swift, I'd have laughed. But, through this album, I'm able to see what a talented songwriter she is and hear how her songs could be reinvented to be more to my tastes. Ryan achieved making something completely original out of cover songs, which isn't an easy task.

Kadavar - Berlin. I've thought Kadavar was great for a couple years now and waited with great anticipation for the release of Berlin this year. They're a trio. They're from Germany. They know how to rock. Kadavar has possibly the best tone I've ever heard. When listening to their songs, it's often not about the notes they play, but what they don't play. When so many bands today try to do too much, Kadavar plays with a simplicity that is appreciated, done the right way. Berlin has just as much riffage as I've come to expect, the songs are memorable, and the song writing is top notch. They ride the bridge between rock and metal.

Iron Maiden - Book of Souls. Iron Maiden still stands as putting on the best live show I've ever seen. They continue to be a band of seemingless endless talent. And, if it's even possible, they seem to be getting better with age. Book of Souls doesn't waste any time across two jam packed CD's of shreddingly epic metal, delivered in the tried and true Iron Maiden way. Bruce Dickenson sounds as sharp as ever and the band is as tight as can be. Iron Maiden continues to set the bar high for the epic style of metal that they're known for.

Allan Hough - Thank Me When You're Grateful. My long time friend Allan made this album and released it this year, and dang what a release. I've listened to it so many times and still can't get enough of it. It's poetic and heartfelt, punk and disco, clever and complete. It's unlike anything I've ever heard, yet I can sometimes catch a glimpse of where inspiration came from… and it's from a lot of places. There's a lot of this album I find myself relating to with a kind of California, Bay Area, nostalgia. Yet, it's so damn new.

Shamir - Ratchet. There are days that go by when I tell myself I'm never gonna like pop music again. Then here comes Shamir with Ratchet. This album to me sounds like it takes place completely in the moment. The songwriting sounds like poetry written down on napkins and recorded the next day. Only an abundance of natural raw talent can make something sound like that and work (of course, Shamir probably spent a lot more time than that working out these songs and making them as good as they are). Of all the albums I really liked this year, this is the one that really surprised me.

Myrkur - M. If I met someone that I thought might get into black metal, but wasn't ready for the really heavy stuff, I'd probably play for him/her this album, M, by Myrkur. For black metal, I appreciate how she switches it up from the typical growl and grind that the subgenre's vocals are know for. Instead, she mixes is in an operatic element that makes the album stand out. It's still heavy as hell. I don't usually get into black metal, it's typically just not my thing, but when I find something I like, I can really like it… this is definitely a case of that.

Night Demon - Curse of the Damned. Night Demon made one helluva thrash album. This is metal for all occasions. It's music like this that gives me tons of hope for the future of metal. This album has enough elements of 80s thrash that it will remind you of the greats that you've appreciated for so long, yet it's fresh. Another complaint I sometimes hear about metal is that it's too much about shredding and not enough about sounding interesting. Well, it seems that arguers from both sides will be pleased here. Night Demon keeps it interesting and full of nasty riffs, while shredding like the best.

Freedom Hawk - Into Your Mind. I found out about Freedom Hawk through the internet. I don't know much about them or what they're about and pictures of them depict them as a bunch of aging rockers. Then I heard Into Your Mind… it's a really good rock album. I can remember some years ago hearing Ryan Adams talk about how he wondered about whatever happened to the guys that just rocked, so Ryan went on and released Rock'n'Roll. Well, Freedom Hawk convinces me that there are good bands still out there writing original music and still ROCKING. It's stoner rock with solid riffs and they throw in a dusting of psychedelic magic on top of it all. Into Your Mind makes me want to get in the car for an extended road trip…

Khemmis - Absolution. I had a chance to see these guys live this year and play songs off of this record. It's doom, for sure, but stood out for me as particularly well done. And, they were cool dudes to chat with after the show, ta boot. The doom genre has been so flooded with mediocrity these past few years that it's hard for a band to stand out, but Khemmis has done it. They rock a bit more than a lot of doom and keep it interesting. Good song writing, musicianship, and vocals that even the not-so-doomy metal fan will appreciate.

The Arcs - Yours Dreamily. The Arcs, a Dan Auerbach side project, has a signature Auerbach sound despite having song writing credit by pretty much all the members of the band. It reminds me a lot of what I liked about certain Black Keys albums, having a more heartfelt and mellow feel compared to the more poppy and beat heavy sound the Black Keys seem to be drifting towards. I wasn't totally crazy about this album initially, but have found myself going back to it over the past few months and have decided that it deserves a place on this list for that reason. Of all the albums on this list, I think this is the one I'll be going back to in the years to come.

There were a lot of other really great albums that came out this year. Here are some notable mentions: Wetsocks - Drips; Torche - Restarter; Toxic Holocaust/Municipal Waste - Toxic Waste; Sorcerer - In The Shadow of the Inverted Cross; Ufomammut - Ecate; Mark Knopfler - Tracker; Goatsnake - Black Age Blues; Rhett Miller - The Traveler; Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard - Django and Jimmie; The Sword - High Country; Ryan Adams - Live at Carnegie Hall; Ghost - Meliora; Uncle Acid - The Night Creeper; Black Trip - The Shadow Line; Demon Lung - A Dracula; Pentagram - Curious Volume; Giorgio Moroder - deja-vu; Dead Weather - Dodge and Burn; Kylesa - Exhaulting Fire; EODM - Zipper Down; Scale the Summit - V; Guster - Evermotion; Ah God - Ah God; Glowsun - Beyond the Wall of Time; Baroness - Purple; Satan's Satyrs - Don't Deliver Us; Fuzz - II; W.A.S.P. - Golgotha; VHOL - Deeper Than Sky; Dopethrone - Hochelga; Satan - Atom by Atom; Christian Mistress - To Your Death; Symphony X - Underworld; Visigoth - The Revenant King; Motorhead - Bad Magic; Egypt - Endless Flight.