20-16




20) Trap Them - Crown Feral

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The current state of metalcore is quite upsetting for someone like myself that considers the subgenre to be one of the best under the metal umbrella. Fortunately for me, Trap Them show just how great metalcore can be when you leave the cheesy soaring cleans behind and stick to writing straight up gnarly guitar riffs and absolutely brutal breakdowns. If you aren't a fan of metal music you should probably stay away from this, but if you consider yourself a metalhead and haven't given this a spin, do so as soon as possible.




19) Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

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Teens of Denial is the album you hate hipsters for loving. Car Seat Headrest is a grown man making lo-fi emo power pop songs about trivial issues. And yet, somehow he manages to make it work out. Good luck making it more than two or three tracks deep without tapping your foot and singing along to tracks like Fill in the Blank & Destroyed by Hippie Powers. This is Will Toledo's lightning in a bottle moment, maturing his sound slightly while still remaining more entertaining than ever.




18) Touché Amoré - Stage Four

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Touche Amore managed to couple their most diverse album with their most emotional offering on Stage Four. The basis of the album's story telling is the unfortunate passing of the mother of one of the band members which leads to a real tear jerking experience. Despite the tragedy, the band manage to come into this album stronger than ever before with some fantastic post-hardcore that makes this album quite easily the best in their discography so far.




17) Rail Yard Ghosts - Hiraeth

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In what was easily one of the most ambitious efforts of 2016, folk-punk act Rail Yard Ghosts pieced together a 90+ minute concept double album that was just as full of skits as it was music. While that may initially make this a difficult album to get into, the payoff is remarkable. The story is incredibly interesting, the range of music played varies from folk-punk, to traditional folk, to crust-punk-folk, and the spoken word bits that pop up throughout the project are absolutely wonderful.




16) Death Grips - Bottomless Pit

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This album, much like everything else Death Grips have released, is ****ing fantastic. There's a blend of in-your-face loud, abrasive synths, drum beats, and when accompanied with MC Ride's vocals... well you already know just how brilliant it is. It may not be able to touch the quality of TMS and Exmilitary, but it's yet another solid addition to hip-hop's favourite experimental trio's discography.

15-11




15) The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation

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Leave it to Dillinger of all bands to go out of the game with their most complete and awe inspiring release. They have been a long time favourite of mine and on Dissociation they say farewell in such a fashion that I don't think any fan could be disappointed. There is plenty of risks taken all over the project, and yet they still manage to combine some of their most melodic work with some of their heaviest and most chaotic. From the spastic opener Limerent Death to the electronic Fugue, there is no shortage of variety on the band's latest release. I truly believe DEP were a band that improved with nearly every project they released, and they capped it off with a mesmerizing finale.




14) Modern Baseball - Holy Ghost

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The little emo kid inside of me will always enjoy newly released poppy tunes like you find on Holy Ghost. Modern Baseball seem to specialize in that. Much like their last album, Holy Ghost is filled with well crafted pop punk tracks that embrace every emo cliche around while remaining oh so self-aware. The smooth transitions between tracks and the sub-30 minute run time make this album one of the easiest listens of 2016, while still remaining catchy and fun. I will Paypal $100 to anyone that can make it through Mass without singing along to what is easily the catchiest track of the year.




13) Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä

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If I was rating these albums on unique listening experiences, Oranssi Pazuzu would certainly have cracked the top 5. Psychedelic rock, atmo-black metal, space rock, what doesn't this album have? To be quite honest, not much. This thing takes you on a true voyage from start to finish and makes the most of its 70 minute run-time. There isn't much justice that be done to this album by simply talking about it. If you're a fan of adventurous and unique extreme metal then I would highly recommend picking this up.




12) Vektor - Terminal Redux

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As far as I'm concerned, Vektor are one of, if not the most talented modern thrash acts. They blend break neck speed riffs, alien-esque ugly wretched vocals, and some very progressive and technical instrumentation in a way that I've never quite heard before. On Terminal Redux, they return after a 5 year absence and deliver a sci-fi adventure that might just be my new favourite release of theirs. The use of guest performers who provide soulful, choir-like vocals on the opening and closing tracks as well as the slower paced, cleaner passages both work perfectly when contrasting the brazing guitar shredding and ruthless drum beats. If you needed an album to show you how alive and well thrash metal currently is, you can find it here.




11) Zao - The Well-Intentioned Virus

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As I said earlier, properly constructed metalcore is just the bees' knees, as shown by one of the genres most talented groups, Zao. Despite their ever-evolving line-up and 7 year hiatus, the American metal act shot back this year with one of their best releases so far. The sludgy production, the hammering intensity, and the perfectly executed melodic moments all lead to this being one of the best metal albums of the year and yet another fantastic addition to the band's discography. Regardless of whether you're a Converge fan, a Trivium fan, or a Pierce the Veil fan (pussy), you need to hear this album for the track Observed/Observer alone.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1784375) Alright listen, I'm typically of the belief that nobody (except for maybe TH) needs more than one journal,.

10-6




10) Regina Spektor - Remember Us to Life

http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/sit...?itok=QepI9qHV

2016 was the year I fell in love with Russian singer-songwriter sensation Regina Spektor. From her quirky lyrics to her beautiful voice, she never fails to impress throughout her very diverse catalogue of releases. On her newest record Remember Us to Life Regina pens some of the best songs of the year with tracks like Small Bill$ and Older and Taller. The combination of lovely melodies and intricate piano work make this an essential listen for any music fan.




9) Entropia - Ufonaut

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Blackgaze has seemingly become the "hipster metal genre" over the last few years. Fortunately for those of us black metal fans that enjoy both the raw traditional Norwegian styling and the newly christened 'hipster' approach, Entropia gave us this gem. Ufonaut sees the dynamic Polish group combine elements of psychedelic black metal, sludge metal, progressive metal, and so much more over the span of just 40 minutes. It feels beautiful in it's delivery, while still so cacophonous and dissonant. A truly remarkable addition to what was a great year for black metal.




8) Swain - The Long Dark Blue

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This release totally came out of nowhere and ended up crawling it's way higher and higher up my list. I think it's worth mentioning that I've never been much of a grunge fan, and because of that I went into the album not expecting all that much excitement. While the grunge elements are undeniable and there are a few moments of straight up Nirvana worship on this thing, the album also hosts a ton of other influences and creates a sound of it's own. From the hardcore punk roots shown on tracks like Punk Rock Messed You Up, to the very Creep-like Never Clean My Room, the Dutch 4-piece Swain manage to weave together one of 2016's most compelling punk albums.




7) Preoccupations - Preoccupations

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Viet Cong reinvented themselves in 2016, changing their stage name to Preoccupations due to reasons that aren't all that worth discussing. Despite the name change however, they remained very true to their brooding, depressing post-punk sound. If you weren't a fan of the debut, this one probably won't win you over. If you enjoyed what they presented on their first album though, this album is exactly what you should have been hoping for as a follow-up. Just one listen to the opening track Anxiety or a dive into the 11 minute cut Memory will assure you of that.




6) Oathbreaker - Rheia

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On their newest full-length album Rheia, Belgium based black metal outfit Oathbreaker push their crust punk influence to the side as they truly give way to a much more atmospheric blackgaze approach. There are just as many moments of clean vocals, acoustic guitar, and beautiful passages as there is black metal chaos. While Oathbreaker failed to push any higher than #6 this year, this album certainly would have been a contender for #1 on any other occasion. Not only should any fan of atmo-black and/or blackgaze check this out, but I would also recommend to anyone looking to get into extreme metal. This is far from the heaviest black metal album you'll hear this year, and because the production stays closer to the tidy side of things than the colder raw style you'd normally associate with the genre, it makes for a rather easy listen.

Originally Posted by Tristan Geoff (Post 1785121) *Preoccupations - Preoccupations*

5 & 4




5) Carly Rae Jepsen - E-MO-TION: Side B

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I'll admit it, placing this album on my list is a little bit of a cop-out. I mean, technically speaking this release is just an EP consisting of the leftover tracks from Carly Rae Jepsen's breakout 2015 release. It's just too damn good to leave off of my list though. It's hard to imagine a studio album, especially one that both I and so many others adored, being outclassed by the album's outtakes. Yet that's exactly what happened on this thing.

The same retro synth based style Jepsen used to fuel the full-length version is present on this EP, yet it feels much hookier and primed for radio play. The catchy choruses' on tracks like Body Language and Fever may be amongst the best the Canadian pop star has even delivered. Beyond that is the large variety in sound between the tracks. Of course you wouldn't go into a project of this nature expecting a huge variation in sound, yet it's still there is a welcomed element in separating this from the album itself. In fact, the only reason I can see for leaving these tracks off of the full-length is due to how different they are sonically, at least when placed next to the album tracks which all seemed to follow a certain sound.

A must hear for all fans of the genre, Carly Rae Jepsen furthers her position as the Internet's pop darling with a stellar follow-up to her breakthrough project.




4) David Bowie - Blackstar

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Up until just a few weeks ago I figured this would finish the year as my number one album. I will admit my enjoyment of the music might of declined a bit throughout the year (keep in mind this was released all the way back in January) however it is still one of the most powerful and well written albums I've heard in 2016. It's hard to imagine the landscape of popular music with Bowie and his influence, and for an artist of his stature to leave with such a beautiful swan song will undoubtedly lead to this album being one of the most highly regarded albums in his discography.

It's been said that Bowie took influence from many younger acts with his construction of the release, some publishers even threw around Death Grips as being an influence on his sound. Regardless of who exactly it was that compelled yet another change in style for the ever-evolving musician, it was certainly a change for the better. The jazzy approach of the production on the album coupled with the experimental edge makes for an immaculate sound, one that constantly entertains and enthralls the listener while also provoking a multitude of emotions. The peak of the album, as far as I'm concerned, will always be Lazarus, driven by the heart wrenching opening line "Look up here, I'm in heaven."

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1787117) it was just such a polarizing release for the first few months because of all that surrounded it. definitely a fantastic release regardless though.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1787117) it was just such a polarizing release for the first few months because of all that surrounded it. definitely a fantastic release regardless though.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1787181) nah mang, a lot of people felt it was only praised because of his death. there was definitely a range of opinions.

Originally Posted by Frownland (Post 1787185) Is that more about poseurs or the album itself? I loved the album to death but I still recognize that there are some people who only praise it because of his death.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1787187) maybe but I would still call it polarizing release so smd

3 & 2




3) Injury Reserve - Floss

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With 2015's Live At the Dentist Office I felt Injury Reserve made their intro into the underground hip-hop scene with a decent project that showed some potential but not much more. In the final weeks of 2016 however, they group blindsided me with one of the year's most impressive releases.

What sets Floss apart from other hip-hop projects released this year is the diversity offered throughout the album. The hybrid combination of jazz-rap and radio ready bangers makes this an album any rap fan can sit down and listen to, and the moments of experimental influence sprinkled throughout (the track Eeny Meeny Miny Moe in particular) make for a great change of pace. The reason this album is truly worthy of a top 3 spot on my list is just how fun it is, right from the first listen on.




2) PUP - The Dream Is Over

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Speaking of albums that surprised me, PUP's The Dream Is Over was one of the year's biggest growers. An album that I initially wrote off as marginally better than the band's debut, The Dream Is Over started getting constant spins near the end of the summer and in the process began climbing its way up my list.

The title of the album reflects on the news vocalist Stefan Babcock received from his doctor back in 2015 regarding the status of his damaged vocal chords. Nevertheless, in true punk spirit, Stefan and his band mates ignored the doc's orders and proceeded to record their most passionate and impressive pop-punk project to date. From the chaotic upbeat nature of tracks like DVP to the more grim indie rock influenced closer Pine Point, the band manage to stretch the genre to it's absolute limits. Much like Floss, this album claims it spot in my top 3 thanks to just how many times I found myself listening to this record throughout the year, usually whilst singing along to some of the catchiest hooks I've heard in a very long time.

Originally Posted by Kiiii (Post 1788272) Floss made my AOTY list as well.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1788275) I noticed. I definitely think it was one of the standout hip-hop albums of the year, and that says a lot considering the amount of quality hip-hop that was put out this year.

Originally Posted by pansy gayboy 69 (Post 1788547) cool list except for the carly rae album, i would have added nick cave or frank ocean.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1788548) well maybe you should do your own list then bitch frank ocean was just barely left off, the new nick cave was good but i got tired of it fairly quickly.

Originally Posted by Qwertyy (Post 1788548) well maybe you should do your own list then bitch frank ocean was just barely left off, the new nick cave was good but i got tired of it fairly quickly.

Originally Posted by Tristan Geoff (Post 1788550) I didn't get the hype behind the Frank Ocean one, I wanted to love it but it just felt too unguided.

Originally Posted by pansy gayboy 69 (Post 1788557) What's so ****ty about his music? i'm really not offended or anything lol i'm just curious as to why you don't like it

Originally Posted by pansy gayboy 69 (Post 1788552) i would but i made the mistake of joining apple music instead of just downloading **** onto my itunes and so have all the albums i've been listening to only on my iphone, which has been confiscated so i can't even remember half the albums i had on there :(