The Annual Best of the Year Thread - 2012 edition

[Liquid Tension]

My list certainly is different and I can't wait to check out those on everyone else's list...

1. Pigeon Toe - The First Perception


Beardfish - The Void
Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Pinata
Morglbl - Brutal Romance
El Doom and the Born Electric - S/T
Anglagard - Viljans Oga
Marching Mind - Sickness and the Theory
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
Ohmphrey - Posthaste
Psycho Praxis - Echoes from the Deep
In the Silence - A fair Dream Gone Mad

Honorable mentions:
Enslaved, Linear Sphere, Hydria Spacefolk

Disappointed:
Ihsahn

I'm sure I missed a few from the beginning of the year...

 

[Kenneth R.]

OSI was really awful too. They've become the same band they wanted to replace. Their third and (moreso) second album are the only ones worth listening to.

Pigeon Toe lyrics disappoint me (on that clip) but musically interesting. Willing to give them more of a listen.

 

[Sauna]

OSI's first one felt like it was an instrumental album with vocals slapped on top (still like it, though). With Blood and Fire Make Thunder I feel the overall vibe is much more complete with music and lyrics supporting each other without seeming like separate entities.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I certainly agree with that, but it is a complete - and imo bad - album. It's like they can't decide if they're a pop rock band or a prog metal band. Previous albums had a decidedly purposeful sound with lyrics to match (besides the debut, the detriment you've already said).

 

[Baroque]

Maybe not best of the year, but should also be mentioned

 

[Baroque]

Progressive Death Metal.. at least check out the intro, nice concept.

 

[donKyle]

I haven't put together my list yet, but Weather Systems is easily #1 for me.

I must say though, I tried getting into Be'lakor's first couple albums but never did, but I really like Of Breath and Bone. So yay!

 

[LittleTortillaBoy]

What do you guys think of Ian Anderson's Thick as a Brick 2? I listened to it few times, and I really like it!

 

[Phanto]

What do you guys think of Ian Anderson's Thick as a Brick 2? I listened to it few times, and I really like it!

Haven't heard. To be honest, I only really like Jethro Tull between 71-78 + the song Broadsword + the Christmas album (great renditions of earlier work like Fire at Midnight).

 

[Krondor]

This topic is very nice, since I don't look for new releases myself (no idea why though) but now that you guys just wrap an entire year to this one thread, I have found some new good music. Thank you for that.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Oh, I am shamed to have forgotten to mention:

Samuel Yirga - Guzo
http://realworldrecords.com/release/586/guzo/
"Guzo is the debut release of young Ethiopian pianist Samuel Yirga. Against the odds, Samuel found his way to music school in Addis Ababa and despite still being in his 20s and only having left music school relatively recently, he has developed at a pace remarkable for someone of his age. He has gone on to become one of Ethiopia's most promising young musicians and composers and in recent years, Samuel has gained wider international recognition through his touring and recording with Ethio-fusion group Dub Colossus."

My opinion on Circus Maximus is mixed. Yes, the new album is definitely poppier. But in a lot of ways, it's also more focused. However, the lyrics suffered a lot while the music is really well done. A pretty good album overall, but hard to call best of the year.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

This has easily crept into my top 5.....

1) The Aristocrats - Boing, We'll Do It Live!

 

[JesterIF]

The best for me (by far) is definitely Weather Systems. I played this album about 30 times and writing this makes me want to listen to it once more. There are a couple other albums that I really enjoyed, in no particular order:

Circus Maximus - Nine
Kaipa - Vittjar
Landmarq - Entertaining Angels
Marillion - Sounds That Can't Be Made
Sybreed - God Is An Automaton

 

[Liampie]

Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud
It might be one of the worst albums Devin has put out, but goddang it, it's still Devin.

Have you heard the bonus disc? It's easily as good, and contains more experimental stuff. Some really cool songs on there; I believe they were intended to be on the main disc before he started to replace the 'romantic ethereal stuff' with balls to the wall rock songs.

 

[Wander]

I like the bonus disc to Epicloud better than the main album to be honest. And I still like the whole thing, but no, not Devin's best to be sure.






All these have also been mentioned already, but I'll just add my approval to them as well:

Anathema - Weather Systems
Be'lakor - Of Breath and Bone
Gazpacho - March of Ghosts
Enslaved - RIITIR
Alcest - Voyages De L'Âme
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
The Imagined Village - Bending the Dark
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
Antimatter - Fear of a Unique Identity
Ihsahn - Eremita - Everyone seems disappointed, I still liked

Some more pretty good stuff:

Rush - Clockwork Angels
Baroness - Yellow & Green
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Everything is Changing
Bethany Weimers - Harpsichord Row
Wilsen - Sirens
Faceless - Autotheism
Wild Nothing - Nocturne
Dominique A - Vers Les Lueurs
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
Woods of Ypres - Woods 5
Witchcraft - Legend

I might link up examples later. I don't know. I might also add albums, cause I've listened to many more, but I forget.

 

[Sauna]

Have you heard the bonus disc? It's easily as good, and contains more experimental stuff. Some really cool songs on there; I believe they were intended to be on the main disc before he started to replace the 'romantic ethereal stuff' with balls to the wall rock songs.

I've heard two songs off the bonus disc as I recall. One was quite good while the other sounded like second rate Ki. I should obviously get around to going through the entire thing in any case, thanks for the reminder.

 

[Phanto]

Wander you might like A Fine Frenzy - Pines. A pretty folky album from some american woman I've never heard of before. But it's really nice and relaxing. First half is dark and acoustic, the second half is a little more poppy.
I just recently started listening to it. In my book it's a 2012 recommendation.

 

[Wander]

Wander you might like A Fine Frenzy - Pines. A pretty folky album from some american woman I've never heard of before. But it's really nice and relaxing. First half is dark and acoustic, the second half is a little more poppy.
I just recently started listening to it. In my book it's a 2012 recommendation.

I think it was on my "to be checked out list" but I forgot! Cheers, sounded very good on first listen.

Random things I might add
I listened to Sigh - In Somniphobia again today and I kinda liked it more than the last time. Hella strange album still though.

Kashiwa Daisuke - Re: is interesting, worth a mention if you like sort of ambient chill electronic stuff.

Edit: Yeah Re: is actually really good!

 

[Kenneth R.]

I'll give Re: a listen when I get a chance

 

[Baroque]