Favorite releases of 2014/What are you looking forward to?

[RushBoingo]

Update:

 

Favorite releases so far:

Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks: Enter the Slasher House

Owl City: Beautiful Times (Single, waiting on EP still)

 

Looking forward to:

 

Two They Might Be Giants Albums

Several Owl City EPs

Panda Bear: Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (tentative title)

[HemispheresserehpsimeH]

Aenaon - Extance

 

Very good progressive black metal album (with some cool jazz influences) released back in January. Just got around to listening to it and it is awesome. One of my favourites so far of 2014.

 

Cynic's new album is still at the top of my list for this year so far. I love that album.

[PolarizeMe]

2. Animals as Leaders - The Joy of Motion: Instrumental prog metal. Not as good as their debut but still fantastic. Tosin Abasi is hands down one of the greatest guitarists.

3. Woods of Desolation - As the Stars: Black metal and shoegaze. A really emotional, uplifting album that's heavy at the same time.

4. Hail Spirit Noir - Oi Magoi: Black metal meets King Crimson-style prog rock. Highly unique to say the least.

10. Lantlos - Melting Sun: Post-metal/post-rock. Former black metal band makes a gorgeous, uplifting post-metal record. The metal brother of the new Alcest album.

 

I think I'm going to give these four albums a try at some point this year. These sound really interesting to say the least.

[Mark7]

Living Colour is supposed to have an album coming out in the fall. I am looking forward to that one :guitar:

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Broken Crown Halo impressed me very much...

 

Bruce Springsteen- High Hopes was so bad even a track full of coughing fits from The Boss could have improved it. Ok, that was harsh. It had its moments. But not many.

 

Nothing else this year excites me, except for the possibility of a third Alter Bridge live DVD. Yay!

[H. P. L.]

Among Adace's new list, I'm enjoying Hail Spirit Noir and Tryptikon. Eagerly looking forward to new Opeth, hope it doesn't disappoint. Best new discovery this year: The Oath.

 

Edit: also Solar Halos debut was very enjoyable.

Edited April 29, 2014 by H. P. L.

[J2112YYZ]

Lacuna Coil- Broken Crown Halo impressed me very much...

 

It has impressed me a lot to. I haven't liked anything they've released since Comalies and pretty much thought the band had lost their way musically at this point. But this album is a great return to form for them. This seems like the album that should've came after Comalies. In time I may like it better than Comalies because the songwriting on Broken Crown Halo overall I think is better. I'm very happy the band has found their groove again. Hopefully they keep this up for years to come.

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Broken Crown Halo impressed me very much...

 

It has impressed me a lot to. I haven't liked anything they've released since Comalies and pretty much thought the band had lost their way musically at this point. But this album is a great return to form for them. This seems like the album that should've came after Comalies. In time I may like it better than Comalies because the songwriting on Broken Crown Halo overall I think is better. I'm very happy the band has found their groove again. Hopefully they keep this up for years to come.

 

As a massive fan of Lacuna Coil, I embraced all their albums and I love each and everyone. Karmacode and Unleashed Memories are my favourites, but I agree the early years were terrific. I love Dark Adrenaline as well.

[custom55]

[custom55]

[bathory]

the new mekong delta is great prog/thrash metal and shits on the new dream theater, and it might be better than the new fates warning too

[bathory]

if anyone knows of any other great prog metal albums already out or coming soon please let me know

[bathory]

also adace1 and the other person here who likes extreme metal needs to listen to the new morbus chron. modern death metal that's actually creative and GOOD!

[adace1]

a few new ones I'm enjoying:

 

1. Agalloch - The Serpent and the Sphere: Sure it's their weakest album, but I have to admit that it's growing on me. But I'm pretty much an Agalloch fanboy anyway so naturally it has to be on my list ;)

2. Coldplay - Ghost Stories: Some of the songs sound a bit too much like their last album (didn't enjoy that one too much) but Coldplay are definitely heading in the right direction again. Oceans is pretty much one of their best songs.

3. The Oath - The Oath: Checked this out based on HPL's recommendation and was not disappointed. Killer vocals, killer riffs. What's not to love?

4. Epica - The Quantum Enigma: Yeah, this one might be in my top 10 or even top 5 for the year. Catchy symphonic metal that's masterfully crafted. Not a bad or even mediocre song on the whole thing.

5. IQ - The Road of Bones: Great atmospheric prog rock. Haven't listened to it a whole lot but I definitely like what I've heard.

6. Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall: Filthy, brutal, and downright haunting death metal. Could see it being my death metal album of the year.

7. Devin Townsend - Casualties of Cool: Atmospheric country/blues/ambient. Just heard this today so I need time to let it sink in but it's fantastic. It's the spiritual successor to Ghost and it's about as good. Looking forward to the bonus disc!

[Steevo]

All the Zep reissues.

Agalloch - Serpent and Sphere (back on form, definitely not their weakest, dunno how you get that)

Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines

Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls

Anathema - Distant Satellites (always hopeful yet...)

Edited May 14, 2014 by Steevo

[ColdFireYYZ]

1. Agalloch - The Serpent and the Sphere: Sure it's their weakest album, but I have to admit that it's growing on me. But I'm pretty much an Agalloch fanboy anyway so naturally it has to be on my list ;)

 

7. Devin Townsend - Casualties of Cool: Atmospheric country/blues/ambient. Just heard this today so I need time to let it sink in but it's fantastic. It's the spiritual successor to Ghost and it's about as good. Looking forward to the bonus disc!

 

I've only listened to the new Agalloch album once. I liked it but I wasn't blown away like I was when I first listened to The Mantle. I wish there were some clean vocals to mix it up a bit.

 

Casulties of Cool is fantastic. I've already listened to it three times since it was released yesterday. Reminds me a bit of Ki, but more mellow and atmospheric.

 

So far, my top 5 of the year would have to be:

1) Jack o' the Clock - Night Loops: Kind of proggy/avant-garde folk music; very unique and original.

2) Swans - To Be Kind: Not really sure how to describe this album or this band, but this album is fantastic. Two hours of very experimental, noisy, and brash music.

3) Marissa Nadler - July: Really great folk album. Very atmospheric and dreamy with fantastic layered vocals.

4) Casualties of Cool - Casualties of Cool

5) Univers Zero - Phosphorescent Dreams: Great album of instrumental chamber rock/prog rock; a bit more upbeat and accessible than their older (and darker) material.

[adace1]

A few more favorites since last time I posted:

 

1. Mastodon - Once More Round the Sun: Awesome album. The Hunter was great but I easily prefer this one. It's a return to their old progressive sound but in a catchier form. Think Hunter meets Blood Mountain

2. Septic Flesh - Titan: The symphonic death metal greats return with a new album that while not quite as good or cohesive as the last two, is still great in its own right. Very intricately composed and technical. A grower for sure.

3. Saor - Aura: Incredible atmospheric black metal that makes you feel like you're on top of a mountain. Beautiful folk sounds and intense emotions. Should appeal to Summoning/Caladan Brood fans. Production could have been better though.

4. Anathema - Distant Satellites: Won't top the last two albums but damn is it still amazing. Ariel and The Lost Song Pt. 2 have to be some of the best tracks they've made. Nice to see they experimented a bit towards the end of the album.

[Turbine Freight]

I know this will go down like a brick turd on here, but the new Night Ranger cd "High Road" is a very good AOR album. Edited June 17, 2014 by Turbine Freight

[Segue Myles]

Chevelle- La Gragnola is an awesome, is slightly ordinary, example of modern hard rock!

[Union 5-3992]

Casualties of Cool still sounds amazing. One of Devin's best albums.

 

Universe by the Truckfighters still sounds fantastic. Spun it again and it's a really thick, sludgy, fuzzy, record and I love it.

[PolarizeMe]

Casualties of Cool is like a hybrid of Ki and Ghost (for me at least). The end result is 70 minutes of atmospheric, textural, country/blues influenced beauty. And this is coming from someone who doesn't particularly listen to country/blues. Probably my favorite album of the year this far.

 

Anathema's Distant Satellites is a worthy follow up to Weather Systems and We're Here Because We're Here, but I personally liked it less than those two. It might grow on me more if I gave it another listen or two. Ariel is the standout track without a doubt.

[Anguyen92]

Let's see. My current fave five of 2014.

 

1. Sevendust's Time Travelers & Bonfires. An acoustic album that was successfully crowd-funded by their fans where the band made six new songs and redid six well known songs, amongst their fanbase, acoustically. It has a great melodic sound with all the magic touches and stuff.

 

2. California Breed's self-titled album. Well, I heard of Glenn Hughes and Jason Bonham, orginally, due to their various connections with Alter Bridge/Slash vocalist Myles Kennedy. Obviously, as I dig deeper into the history, I knew who they are and are capable of making good stuff and they work well with their young guitarist, Andrew Watt, based on their single, Sweet Tea. So when I dig into their self-titled album, it was filled with very enjoyable rocking tunes.

 

3. Black Stone Cherry - Magic Mountain. I digged Black Stone Cherry since I heard the news that they were supporting Atler Bridge in Europe in 2011. I wasn't expecting much after their 3rd album, but I think they delivered well on that southern/hard stoney/modern post-grunge rock sound, though their lyrics involved too many innuendos on getting high kinda detracted it a little.

 

4. Lacuna Coil - Broken Crown Halo. I enjoyed the occasional male/female vocal dynamics, but Cristina Scabbia shined well in Hostage to the Light.

 

5. Michael Sweet - I'm Not Your Sucide. Stryper vocalist Michael Sweet did a solo album and I think it did what it did which was to distinguish itself from the Christian hard rock/somewhat-metal sound of Stryper. That said, the album did have some of those elements, but it had country elements and Journey-like elements, and it worked well which was hard not to accomplish since Sweet has an awesome voice.

 

Albums to look forward to. Hmmmm, obviously, the new Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirator's World on Fire. Foo Fighters got a new album at late fall as well and, maybe, a Sixx: A.M. album if the schedule is right.

[adace1]

Time for another update:

 

1. Opeth - Pale Communion: Heritage is a great album but this is clearly better. It's what should have come after Watershed. Very happy with this album and it's likely to end up on my top 10 list at year's end.

2. Antemasque - Antemasque: The reincarnation of The Mars Volta. Totally different sound. Not prog at all but still fun and very catchy. Lots of energy and enthusiasm on this record.

3. Blues Pills - Blues Pills: Wow. This band is going places for sure. Phenomenal vocals, great songwriting, and memorable music. Perfect for fans of Led Zep, Cream, Hendrix etc.

4. Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails: Death metal with some seriously beautiful atmospherics. It's still a lot to digest but I really like it so far. And the cover art is one of the best in recent memory.

5. Empyrium - Turn of the Tides: It's their first album in 12 years and I think it came out pretty well. They've taken a Dead Can Dance direction which is fine by me as I'm a huge DCD fan, but the songs do drift at times. Still, not at all a bad record.

6. Chris Letchford - Lightbox: The guitarist/mastermind of instrumental prog metal band Scale the Summit releases a solo jazz fusion album with special guests. I vastly prefer StS but this is still pretty good. Might put it on once in a while.

 

Looking forward to:

Eluveitie - Origins

Accept - Blind Rage

Threshold - For the Journey

Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden

In Flames - Siren Charms (don't hold much hope for this one at all but still interested to see how much of it is salvageable)

Electric Wizard - Time to Die

Beyond Creation - Earthborn Evolution

The Contortionist - Language

Trioscapes - Digital Dream Sequence

[KennyLee]

Wow. I suck.... :codger:

 

Narp,

Give yourself a few minutes and watch and listen to this. Watch intently. Don't miss anything. This to me sums up the beauty that is Steven Wilson.

 

He was very involved in the video as well. It is his vision while writing the song.

 

[Segue Myles]

Time for another update:

 

1. Opeth - Pale Communion: Heritage is a great album but this is clearly better. It's what should have come after Watershed. Very happy with this album and it's likely to end up on my top 10 list at year's end.

2. Antemasque - Antemasque: The reincarnation of The Mars Volta. Totally different sound. Not prog at all but still fun and very catchy. Lots of energy and enthusiasm on this record.

3. Blues Pills - Blues Pills: Wow. This band is going places for sure. Phenomenal vocals, great songwriting, and memorable music. Perfect for fans of Led Zep, Cream, Hendrix etc.

4. Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails: Death metal with some seriously beautiful atmospherics. It's still a lot to digest but I really like it so far. And the cover art is one of the best in recent memory.

5. Empyrium - Turn of the Tides: It's their first album in 12 years and I think it came out pretty well. They've taken a Dead Can Dance direction which is fine by me as I'm a huge DCD fan, but the songs do drift at times. Still, not at all a bad record.

6. Chris Letchford - Lightbox: The guitarist/mastermind of instrumental prog metal band Scale the Summit releases a solo jazz fusion album with special guests. I vastly prefer StS but this is still pretty good. Might put it on once in a while.

 

Looking forward to:

Eluveitie - Origins

Accept - Blind Rage

Threshold - For the Journey

Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden

In Flames - Siren Charms (don't hold much hope for this one at all but still interested to see how much of it is salvageable)

Electric Wizard - Time to Die

Beyond Creation - Earthborn Evolution

The Contortionist - Language

Trioscapes - Digital Dream Sequence

 

We have fairly similar taste, based on yiur comments!

 

I gave up on In Flames around rhe release of Come Clarity. I think that is actually a pretty fantastic album, but everything after that was disappointing.