Looking back at all the amazing releases throughout 2009, it proved to be a monumental task in trimming it all down to a mere top 10.
There was no hard and fast criteria on how I got to these 10 gems, but out of pure enjoyment and repeat playability throughout the course of the year – this lot stood out like the proverbial.
It is a bit of an eclectic mix. Punk, Alt, Metal, Electronica and Rock. Why limit yourself to one genre when there are so many wonderful flavours out there huh?
So without further delay, here are my top 10 albums of 2009.
This was easily my most played album of 2009. I played it to death and still get immense enjoyment out of the tunes on offer. Two albums into their brief career, these guys are hitting legendary status. Never a dull moment – they wear their vast alt-punk-goth-indie influences on their collective black sleeves. I look forward to watching this band grow and hopefully catching them on their forthcoming Australian tour.
Read more on the Horrors here.
“…This is a majestic album that features everything that was great about Alice In Chains. Melodies. Riffs. Hooks. And pure, unadulterated melancholic magic. Everything I ever loved about this band is here. From the bone-crunching, hook-laden ‘Check My Brain’ to the emotive and painful title track and closing tribute to Layne, ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ (featuring wonderful piano by none other than Elton John) – this an album worthy of the 14 year wait we had to endure…”
Full review here.
“…Trust Devin Townsend to permeate the sinews of my brain and dump all sorts of melody, harmony, infectious grooves, and polyphonic tunefulness in the form of his new (and fooking brilliant) album ‘Addicted’. And he has stayed ensconced in my head – refusing to leave but never, never overstaying his welcome. When all is said and done, I’m happy to have him there ‘cos ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls – this new album is phenomenal…”
Full review here.
“…While the album does not quite reach nor exceed their early string of classics (from “Show No Mercy” through to “South Of Heaven”), it is certainly a great step back in the right direction, reflecting the band’s choice to develop the songs in the studio as opposed to their recent efforts where the albums have been fully formed before they started recording…”
Full review here.
“…The album features 8 amazingly crafted, old-school tinged, menacing riff-laden gems with the track ‘Old’ particularly blowing me away. A true classic album folks…”
Full review here.
“…It is difficult to compare this album to the brilliance that was ‘Heaven & Hell’ and ‘Mob Rules’. You’d be crazy to. But geez, it comes close and is still a superbly crafted, sinister, mindfuck of a release and one that has not left my iPod for over a week…”
Full review here.
Only discovered this one late so excuse the lack of a real review but geez, how freaking amazing is this record? Sure they wear their Mastodon influence well on their collective sleeve, but their is so much freshness and originality here, that Baroness are going to be a very, very special band. I have never heard guitars played as they are on this album. Just when you think a melody is going to go one way, they twist and turn it and take it on a whole other plain. Superb album!
“…Strong throughout it’s 11 tracks, the album just gets better and better from the halfway point through to the end. Melodic, intense, exciting, raw and indeed energetic – it exudes a certain attitude and flair that most harder-edged acts can only begin to dream of…”
Full review here.
“…There is so much wonderful guitar proliferated throughout and some classic hard rockers such as ‘Foxy & Free’, first single ‘Outer Space’, and an absolute amazing version of the Sweet stalwart ‘Fox On the Run’. Great, great choice for a cover and Ace does it soooo well…”
Full review here.
“…Whilst it doesn’t quite recapture the magic of the band’s 2003 Dogmatic Album of the Year ‘Sing The Sorror’, AFI returns to their melodic Goth Punk best with ‘Crash Love’.
Meanwhile… The Dogmatic Best of 2006
Nice list mate! All the best for 2010!