Welcome, one and all, to the last Music Monday of 2014. As it is the last, and in order to go out with a bang of SOME description, it’s going to be a top seven of the year countdown. I have to say, I’ve been lax this year in following the ins and outs of the music industry, so I don’t have much of a comment for my top picks other than, frankly, it’s been a varied year. Thanks to the breakdown of the standard promotional models, finding new music of any description has never been easier, and owning that music just as easy. Several of these bands are new discoveries, though some are debut records, but still, the point stands. All in all, you should get all of these full albums, and play them loud at your new year’s party!
Animals As Leaders – The Future That Awaits Me
Tosin and co.’s latest venture is another lesson in instrumental progressive metal, with more grooves and soundscapes than ever. Perhaps their most cohesive to date, The Joy Of Motion is a soothing listen, despite the chunkier riffs on offer. The Future That Awaited Me is easily my personal highlight, with a soaring melody and a nice refrain from acrobatics that shows the band isn’t just the widdly widdly.
St. Vincent – Birth In Reverse
The lead single off St. Vincent’s fourth album, her self-titled, is an example of exactly why the album has found a home amongst fans of basically any style of music. Catchy, big, layered, but still with an obvious spine that draws you in and keeps you compelled to listen. My only regret is that I only joined the St. Vincent parade with this album!
Job For A Cowboy – Eating The Visions Of God
Lets stop tip-toeing around and get proper heavy, shall we? With Sun Eater, Job For A Cowboy fully ditched the deathcore trend they rode into town on and became the band they always had the potential to be. Pure progressive death metal, with each instrument having its place and melodies that will entwine in your head to create a serpentine nest of sound that makes the whole album a true pleasure.
Primus – Candy Man
Take Primus, one of the most reliably obtuse bands to ever exist, and then have them make a concept album based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Its as demented and brilliant as it sounds. Les Claypool remains the leader with his distinctive bass tones and approach to percussive song-writing, and Primus and the Chocolate Factory is yet another step into new territory from the band. For bonus points, watch the film synced up with the album here!
Intervals – Atlas Hour
An early contender for my album of the year, Intervals didn’t quite reach those lofty heights, but what they did do is make one of the best progressive metal albums of the year, and show that ‘djent’ is more than rippin’ on Meshuggah and living in Periphery’s coattails. Atlas Hour has some big riffs and shows Mike Semesky’s ability to soar as high as a kite with those wondrous vocals of his.
Slipknot – Sarcastrophe
There was a lot of speculation if the ‘Knot had another album in them. Losing one member to death, another to band politics and being 5 years since the last album meant it was a wonder if the new output was actually any good. Thankfully, once Sarcastrophe hits with a death metal blast-beat in the first song, we’re reminded that all was well. The nine-headed masked monstrosity has returned once again to make entire arenas bow to them. Incredible.
Vestascension – The Farewell Fixture
While the rest of these are in no particular order, this is without a doubt the number one. Vestascension’s debut Breaching The Sound is a lesson in dreamy, progressive rock. Smooth, silky and utterly captivating, what these have accomplished with a minimalistic sound and the tool of time is something very special indeed. You owe it to yourself to give it a try.
