The Top Five Albums I Didn’t Hear in 2009
Thinking just now about not listening to Isis made me wonder what else I might have missed this year. So far I haven’t bought the new albums from Behemoth, Nile or a bunch of other metal acts, but I’m planning to before 2009’s over. The list that follows is records I won’t have heard by the time 2010 rolls in. Maybe it’ll inspire me to grab some Buried Treasure fodder. Meantime, list (plus commentary) is after the jump.
5.Khanate, Clean Hands Go Foul: I guess this one just slipped past me. I consider myself a Khanate fan — as much as someone can be — but nope, never got it, and at this point I’ve survived long enough without that it’s not an emergency. Maybe I’ll pick it up. Maybe not.
4. Keelhaul, Keelhaul’s Triumphant Return to Obscurity: I don’t know what the big deal is about these guys getting back together and I’m through pretending I always liked bands who are just now reuniting. Keelhaul‘s back? Fine. The album’s great? Fine. I got the 16 record. That filled my quota for the year.
3. Lord Vicar, Fear No Pain: Yeah, I probably should have gotten down with this, what with the Reverend Bizarre and Count Raven connections, but truth be told, I was never that into Reverend Bizarre either. I have a couple records, but never got enough into them to join the huge suck-off fest the international doom scene seems to have developed for them.
2. Isis, Wavering Radiant: See previous post.
1. Mastodon, Crack the Skye: They called it their masterpiece. I guess they forgot about the time they released Leviathan. After Blood Mountain, I said, “Gee, this sounds like watered-down Mastodon.” Watered-down Mastodon is not, in my opinion, what the world needs now. Classic scenario of a band who got signed to a major label and immediately shrugged off the sound that got them there. If it’s label pressure, shame on the label.
Honorable mention to Moss, Floorian (whose record I bought and never opened) and Count Raven.
Tags: Lists
I haven’t heard the new Behemoth or Nile. Have old albums and no one has said either album is a game changer for their catalog, so yeah.
Did you hear the new Kowloon Walled City recording “Gambling on the Richter Scale”?
That KWC record is pretty good. I think some of the tracks could have had more balls in the production though. Still, they’re doing it right.
I actually haven’t heard it, but based on your and Scott’s recommendations, I’ll pick it up. Guess it wouldn’t be on the list then anyway, ha ha.
? The new Mastodon sucks. I think it’s a huge pile of hairy elephant crap. And live? They suck now too…
The new Keelhaul just isn’t as rad as their old stuff, but that band is still interesting.
Awww, MAN…”Crack the Skye” is AMAZING!!!! This is coming from a relatively jaded old fuck. That Keelhaul record is s good time as well…the IsIs you are right on, but it ain’t bad for background music when the wife is home.
Wow, you were cranky back then. :)