It's that time of the year again. Many fantastic releases came out during 2006 making it quite possibly the best year in a very long time. Pretty much every album of the 200+ I was able to grab have been really good, making it difficult to just narrow it down to my top ten. So, I'll post mine later. Also, you can pick your song of the year too, if you'd like. Anyways, if the few albums that have already been leaked are any indication, I'm so looking forward to '07.
The Information by Beck for Best Album of 2006!
2006 was such a great year in music. The extreme metal genre was particularly great, with all genres reaching a new level of popularity I never though possible and great releases really coming from all said genres. Post-Rock and Dark Ambient also saw some great success worth mentioning. Overall, 2006 made me practically broke and I cannot possibly be happier.
1.) Urfaust - Auerauege Raa Verduistering
This is by far one of the most sorrowful and powerful releases by any band I've ever heard. The album ranges from eerie, sporadic moments of dark ambiance effective in giving a feeling of doom and dread ("Zur Winter-Wanderschaft Verflucht") to almost an angry almost punkish vibe with "Der Halbtoten Dichters Schein-Existenz" and a slow, despondant, masterfully layered finale in "Dämmert, Gelähmt und Mit Scheinbar Erloschenem Geist". This band has a very unique sound and I believe this release is their highest acheivement thus far. The last song can be listened to [url=http://www.myspace.com/urfaustfans]here[/url] (it's the second song).
2.) Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain
Agalloch succeeded once again in expressing their unique vision of music. This time taking on a more post-rock influence and a more "concept album" approach in the way of their tuning and overall similar vibe throughout the whole album. The highlight of this album for me was "Our Fortress is Burning II - Bloodbirds". The only thing holding me back from placing them at number one is that the album felt so damn short. Great release none the less, Agalloch still has yet to disappoint me on a full-length release. The video for a shortened version of "Not Unlike the Waves" can be viewed [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=zHcOZhFkEU4]here[/url].
3.) Mgla - Presence and Mdlosci
Yes, I put two releases. Unfortunately they're so short in length that I think this is completely acceptable. I see great things happening for Mgla once their debut album comes out this next year. Everything they've released thus far has been above par in quality and really pushing black metal to another level beyond typical devil-worship lyrics and hyperblasting. Their contribution to the Crushing the Holy Trinity is a memorable one and the singer of the band is fantastic (also in Kriegsmaschine), but he seems to be going more and more towards the sound of his previously stated band.
4.) Drudkh - Blood in Our Wells
Wow. That's really all you can say to a Drudkh release that can actually compete with Autumn Aurora in pure quality. Really, this is just an amazing band with a very unique take on the style of music the musicians have contributed to in the past (mostly black metal). The guitar solos are a little shaky (I try and ignore them, honestly) but this is greatly overshadowed by the uniquely Drudkh aura dominating the rest of the album. I'm no longer sure what this band's crowning acheivement is anymore, honestly, as both Blood in Our Wells and Autumn Aurora are both equally worthy of such a title. The song "Furrow of the ***s" off of Blood in Our Wells can be listened to [url=http://www.myspace.com/drudkhfansite]here[/url].
5.) Peste Noire - La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénerescence
Really, really good musicianship. This and Neige's other band's (Amesoeurs) release are certainly worthy of mention. You could not possibly ask for a better debut album than this band has presented. I don't know how they could possibly top this. Everything just seems to fit, the minimalistic riffing, the acoustic interludes, the shrieking vocals, and the surprisingly good guitar solos are all effective and add more than detract from one another.
6.) Vinterriket - Lichtschleier - Vinterriket has only gotten progressively better over the years, especially around the time Landschaften Ewiger Einsamkeit was released and on. These last few albums have been great, with this album being the darkest moment thus far. Fantastic Dark Ambient with the Vinterriket touch of cold bleakness.
7.) SpiRitual - Pulse - Stefan's such a damn fine musician. This takes everything recorded with Betray My Secrets to another level. The video to the song "Pulse" also wins for best video of the year (if not ever) and is surprising to me the level of quality reached with such an underground artist. Really visionary stuff, I hope he actually sticks with this project. [url=]Video[/url].
8.) Blood Freak - Live Fast, Die Young... and Leave a Flesh-Eating Corpse! - This is certainly one of the best Death/Grind albums I've ever heard. The riffs presented by Maniac Neil of Lord Gore are catchy and blaze through each of the wonderfully short tracks. There's nothing new here, just really badass grind, and that's good enough.
9.) Elysian Blaze - Levitating the Carnal - MACABRE BE THY BLOOD! If 2006 wasn't such a damn fine year for music, this would be much higher up. The album ranges from piano driven, bass laden dark ambient to slow trodding funeral doom with black metal styled vocals. Great material, certainly an improvement over the first release and far more memorable.
10.) Sterbend - Dwelling Lifeless - Think if the members of Nyktalgia were combined with a less gay version of the singer from Silencer and had a Beatrik (Requiem for December) clarity to their music. The music is very driving and the vocals hold up throughout the hold album, creating a dark atmosphere. I find this band uplifting for some reason though, sort of like I do with Abyssic Hate, dunno why.
Honorable mention - Pantheist - The Pains of Sleep which didn't make it onto here because I didn't count rerecordings of demos. Great release though, well worth a listen. I heard rumor of a new album being recorded next year, so here's hoping to that! Also, the Empyrium compilation A Retrospective... was fabulous. It includes 2 new songs and a rerecording of a song off the first album. I recommend grabbing the boxset (includes everything they've ever done, including the demo and compilation) while they're still available. Katharsis's World Without End, Funeral Procession's debut, and Blut Aus Nord's Mort are also worthy.
2007 - New Pantheist (possible), Esoteric (possible), Nyktalgia, and others I cannot remember at the moment. Looks to be promising on the low-tempo circuit.
I've been meaning to create this thread, but I've still been having trouble deciding what album is my favorite and there are still a few more I'd like to get or give more time to before I truly decide, but I do have a fairly good idea, so I'll give it a shot. I'm glad this thread has been created because I could use some suggestions for music in 2006.
2006 was actually a letdown for me. I had higher hopes and what was giving to me was, for the most part, a disappointment. Lacuna Coil, Theatre of Tragedy, and Blind Guardian releases were all disappointments. I enjoyed 2004 and 2005 more. 2004 was probably my favorite year for music.
Top three:
1. Ashes Against the Grain by Agalloch
2. A Line Of Deathless Kings by My Dying Bride
3. Synchestra by Devin Townsend
I still enjoyed the previous albums by all three bands more. The Mantle, Songs of Darkness, Words of Light, and Terria were all superior, but I wasn't disappointed by their new material at all.
Anyway, I look forward to getting a better idea on what's out there this year. I'm sure I missed out on some excellent releases. I'd like to work on getting a top ten like I did last year.
And yeah, just to compare a little bit, last year was superior. India by Xandria, The Silent Force by Within Temptation (although a disappointment), Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett by Venetian Snares, Takk by Sigur Ros, Rosenrot by Rammstein, Deadwing by Porcupine Tree, Ghost Reveries by Opeth, Troll by Lumsk, Vinland Sega by Leave’s Eyes, Volk Und Armee by Feindflug, Octavarium by Dream Theater, Arcane Rain Fell by Draconian, and Human After All by Daft Punk, were all notable releases. 2006 just hasn't been as grand. And 2004 was even better!
EDIT: Shin Ra, you mentioned a bunch of albums I've yet to get. I'll have to stop being a noob and get with the times!
Astronomy by Dragonland
At least that was my favorite.
1) Tenhi - Maaäet [Neofolk]
2) Urfaust - Auerauege Raa Verduistering [Black/Ambient]
3) Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain [Atmospheric Doom]
4) Red Sparowes - Every Red Heart Shines Towards the Sun [Post-Rock]
5) Drudkh - Krov u nashykh Krynytsyakh (Blood in Our Wells) [Black Metal]
6) Sunn O))) & Boris - Alter [Drone/Doom]
7) Mono - You Are There [Post-Rock]
8) Elysian Blaze - Levitating the Carnal [Black/Funeral Doom]
9) Year of No Light - Nort [Sludge/Drone/Post-Rock]
10) Peste Noire - La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénerescence [Black Metal]
Honorable Mentions:
1) Estradasphere - Palace of Mirrors [Avant-Garde]
2) Mastodon - Blood Mountain [Progressive Sludge]
3) Xasthur - Subliminal Genocide [Suicidal Black Metal]
4) Mouth of the Architect - The Ties That Blind [Sludge]
5) Electro Quarterstaff - Gretzky [Progressive/Technical Metal]
Gary Numan - Jagged
Above & Beyond - Tri-State
Armin Van Buuren - A State of Trance 2006
Beck - The Information
Most of the music I've listened to this year has been pre-2006. If I think of anymore 2006 releases I've listened to that are worthy of listing here, I'll do it in subsequent posts.
the Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America
TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Augie March - Moo You Bloody Choir
the Decemberists - The Crane Wife
And probably some other stuff.
the only album i can even think of that i listened to from this year is joanna newsom's "ys". it was good. i wish i had my computer with me so i could see what else i've liked from this year.
Last year and this year and kind of blending together for me. But I'd have to go with Evergrey's Monday Morning Apocalypse.
EDIT: I forgot Devin Townsend ~ "Synchestra", OSI ~ Free, and Red Hot Chili Peppers ~ Stadium Arcadium
I haven't yet had the pleasure of listening to Ashes. :(
2007's gonne be great. New Dream Theater, Symphony X, and Wintersun. Oh boy. :D
Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
Eldritch - Neighbourhell
Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side
Dream Theater - Score
Gigantour 2005
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
Tool-10,000 Days, By Far takes it, then RHCP-Stadium Arcadium, ***Smack was pretty sick too
[quote]Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side
Got my vote.
I got With Oden on Our Side. Decent album. Not their best and won't make it into my top 10 though. It doesn't have as much of a Viking feel as I hoped it would have.
btw, 2007 is already good. Gothic Kabbalah by Therion is an excellent CD. With more time, it may become my favorite Therion CD. By the end of 2007, it'll surely be in my top 5.
My music tastes are incredibly different from everyone here, but hopefully I can post my picks without any chastising.
1. Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Liars - Lola Ray
3. Future Sex / Love Sounds - Justin Timberlake
4. Now Is The Time - Polysics
I'm not too big on CDs and stuff, so I pretty much listed the CDs I bought that were released this year. They also happen to be really good!
#1 Stadium mutha fukken Arcadium.
Thats pretty much the only cd I actually bought this year (It was worth it ;)). I burned all my other cds!
Illegal CD burning/copying, ftw.
!!!
This is the part where someone comes in and says "you just lost cool points vamp".
I've got a couple to spare. plus, I likes what I likes and know anyone who criticizes me probably hasn't actually listened to either. lol music
Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
A Matter of Life and Death - Iron Maiden
Rosenrot - Rammstein
Rosenrot was an escellent CD, but it so belongs in 2005.
It didn't come out here until 2006 though. :(
He meant that 2005 was a much better year in music than 2006, so such a great album belonged in a great year.
My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade
I hated this band, with all of their emo garbage, but this album really freaking surprised me, taking a themed approach about pain and death, with musical references from Queen and Pink Floyd, and taking some song style ideas from Pink Floyd's The Wall, this album was a serious chance considering today's audience, but they managed to pull off one of the best rock albums of today's generation.
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Stadium Arcadium
It's RHCP, what's not to love? It was 2 CDs of pure rock pwnage. It was a great rock achievement and this is what rock fans needed, since rock was revived just recently by Green Day, and RHCP is just adding more fuel to the fire!
And I would say Rammstein- Rosenrot, but that did come out last year and I had it last year on my iPod.
edit: Thanks Pretty Hate Machine XP
[quote=Tiptoegecko]It's RGCP, what's not to love?
LOL...Really Gay Chili Peppers...I happen to like RHCP, too. Their Blood Sugar Sex Magik days were the best.
Rosenrot came out in 2005 in Germany and the United Kingdom, and 2006 in the United States.
I'd say "ON" by the Boom Boom Satellites is probably my favourite release of this year. It's really got a great sound that echos that of FoEP but it somehow is better as a whole. In terms of a more mainstream release, I liked Stadium Arcadium by RHCP, probably because I like most of their other albums more than this being explictly good or anything.
I forgot an album that came out this year that was absolutely amazing and one of the best, if not the best, of the year. I also think this is the band's best studio album yet
The Pillows- My Foot
It came out in Japan January 12th and July 4th State side, and its an amazing listen. Every song is entirely enjoyable, and you would listen to the entire album through instead of skipping to the good songs because, well, every single song is a good song. This album is a sight for sore eyes for 2006!
I recomend everyone, fan of the band or not, to try it out
edit: also another great album from 2006:
David Gilmour- On An Island
The most relaxing and easy going album ever. Its beautiful music, David sounds great for 60 and his guitar is still freaking kick ***, for easy going music. I love it, and I can fall asleep to it and feel so refreshed in the morning
Drudkh - Blood in Our Wells
Urgehal - Goatcraft Torment
Raison D'etre - Metamorphyses