I want to give a special shout out to Facedwon Records who released a ton of quality albums this year. Between Facedown, Strike First, and Dreamt Music I could have put together a list of 25 albums worth checking out. Minus three records I thought were below par (A Plea for Purging, Onward to Olympas, and Letters to the Exiles) everything that came out on the Facedown Family was good.
Enough talk, more music. Let the countdown begin
25. Jimmy Eat World – Invented
Love them or hate them, it’s hard to deny that Jim Adkins and the rest of Jimmy Eat World knows how to write killer, catchy songs. Invented is start to finish quality rock and roll. Great songs top to bottom. Best Jimmy Eat World record since Bleed American, and I might say it’s better then that.
24. Deftones – Diamond Eyes
Deftones make heavy music sexy. Deftones have always had a sound all their own and Diamond Eyes pushes them in a new direction. It’s a sexy record.
23. As They Sleep – Dynasty
The best Christian tech death metal record since Embrace the Eternal? Maybe. Heavy, fast, no overly complex that one gets bored of listening to guitar player’s show off their skills. A little short on actual guitar solos but that doesn’t deter my enjoyment of this record.
22. The Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
My lone pitchfork, indie, hipster, record on the list. Catchy indie rock. The Arcade Fire captures what was so good about Funeral and what was missing from Neon Bible, soul. The Suburbs expands and takes the Arcade Fire out of the ranks of quirky indie rock band to just a good rock band. The songs are fun and have a lot of heart and the band kicks out some great four on the floor rock jams.
21. Brian McBride – The Effective Disconnect
The Effective Disconnect is Brian McBride’s soundtrack to a documentary about bees, which I did not know upon my first listen. Upon my first listen I did however find myself enraptured by the beautiful simplicity of the strings on this album. Beautiful ambient music to warm your heart.
20. Tumbledown – Empty Bottle
Looking for a country record with punk attitude? The second full-length from Mike Herrera’s new band Tumbledown, loses some of the country flair but cranks up the bad boy punk attitude.
19. Starflyer 59 – The Changing of the Guard
Starflyer 59 has always released great albums and the band’s 12th full-length is no different. While some might argue that the band has lost something over the years, I would say Jason Martin’s constant growth and change points to an artist not wanting to ever be stuck or get boring.
18. Kaki King – Junior
Kaki King has transformed herself from guitar virtuoso to indie pop darling. And her latest album, Junior, King is really trying to just write rock songs. While there are still pretty instrumental pieces, Junior is full of rock flare and punk styling. Growth and change isn’t always a hindrance.
17. The Showdown – Blood in the Gears
Blood in the Gears came out of nowhere because the Showdown have been a band I’ve never been impressed with. But Blood in the Gears is pure metal. Throw up your horn, bang your head, and enjoy. A little southern flare thrown in there but mostly just straightforward metal.
16. Gifts From Enola – Gifts From Enola
Gifts From Enola third album shows the band continuing to improve and move their sound in new and different directions. Their self-titled release is heavier then their previous work but this isn’t your normal, post rock/post metal album. Gifts from Enola play with DC punk sounds, and have a lot of nice drums grooves on this record.
15. Your Memorial – Atonement
Well “Christian Misery Signals” would be a quick and cheap way to sum Your Memorial’s Atonement, I still hold to the theory that it’s not completely fair. While the comparison is there, Atonement is still a solid melodic hardcore record and Your Memorial deserves credit for the growth and change from their debut, Seasons.
14. Call to Preserve – Life of Defiance
Call To Preserve brought back all sorts of great memories of late 90’s/early 2000’s Florida hardcore. Life of Defiance was a huge step for Call to Preserve. Super solid production and great songs. A throwback to a time when hardcore didn’t need a verse, chorus, verse, chorus structure.
13. Arthur – Watch the Years Crawl By
The second MxPx side project on the count down. Watch the Years Crawl By is a throwback to the mid 90’s emo scene. You know, before Dashboard Confessional was MTV. It reminds me of the great early Jade Tree and Deep elm releases.
12. Messengers – Anthems
A lot of records that are throwback to great old school periods of music, and Anthems is no different. Messenger’s Strike First debut is a throwback back to old school thrash/hardcore. Fans of Pantera and All Out War will love Anthems. It’s hardcore done right.
11. Living Sacrifice – The Infinite Order
The return of Living Sacrifice was just as good as advertised. The Infinite Order, while lacking the percussion of The Hammering Process and Conceived in Fire, which I love, is a continuation of where the band left off in 03. The Infinite Order is more thrash oriented in spots but then Living Sacrifice some of the most melodic songs the band has ever done. An excellent return for one of metal’s best.
10. A Hope For Home – Realis
I loved A Hope For Home’s debut, the Everlasting Man. Realis is so much better then The Everlasting Man that it’s not even funny. Both super heavy and uber melodic, Realis is post-hard goodness all around.
9. Children 18:3 – Rain’s A Comin’
While Rain’s A Comin’ doesn’t have the same fun and upbeat spirit that Children 18:3’s debut had, Rain’s A Comin’ is a growth record. How to pull off pop punk without repeating themselves, and they did it well. Even the moments of fun and joy have a serious undertone lyrically that shows a lot of growth. A variety of styles and variations on this record so you won’t get bored.
8. My Epic – Yet
My Epic is another band whose second album really impressed the heck out of me. Yet is a band really stepping up their game and giving people something different to listen to and make you rethink the band. It’s a killer rock record. Lower Still is such an amazing song and the record as a whole balances between chaos and beauty.
7. Queens Club – Young Giant
Queens Club’s debut full-length is a record that actually took me by surprise because I had every intention that I was going to hate everything about this record before giving it a spin. But I fell in love with Young Giant pretty quick. A great dance rock record. Catchy hooks, great grooves, memorable choruses, just a lot of fun.
6. Haste the Day – Attack of the Wolf King
Having never been a big Haste the Day fan and having ignored their last 2 records, I was shocked at how much I loved Attack of the Wolf King. The best metalcore record of the year. Each song is super catchy and after the first listen I could sing along with the choruses. Great songwriting trumps genre pitfalls.
5. Norma Jean – Meridional
At this point I would say Norma Jean is the most consistent band in metal. Meridional is phenomenal. The band did a good job at getting back to some of their heavier roots while not loosing the great melodic songs and guitar riffs that their previous 2 records were full of. Cory Brandon has one of the best voices in metal and Norma Jean always has really good, memorable guitar riffs.
4. For Today – Breaker
For Today’s Breaker grabbed me about 10 seconds into Devastator. By far the heaviest record released in 2010. While I know the bass drops will not be everyone’s cup of tea, I hate bass drops, but the songs are so good and heavy that’s it’s easy for me to overlook the bass drops.
3. Hammock – Chasing After Shadows… Living With the Ghosts
Hammock continues to impress and I would even say they continue to get better. While Chasing After Shadows goes back to a fuller sound of the band’s first two full-lengths, the songs are different. All the ideas are full, every idea is realized and sees completion. Chasing After Shadows is an amazing record.
2. Demon Hunter – The World Is a Thorn
While I’ve been growing to like Demon Hunter over the last couple of years and records I still didn’t think they could deliver anything super impressive. But they knocked it out of the park with The World is a Thorn. Demon Hunter really breaks free from that nu-metal stereotype they’ve had to fight against since their debut. The World is a Thorn shows the band headed in a different direction. There’s less ballad driver, melodic metal songs and more thrash, good guitar solos, while keeping the catchy hooks the band is known for. Two new guitarists add a different dimension to the sound and Ryan Clark being the lone songwriter really shines.
1. House of Heroes - Suburba
As soon as Suburba started playing I thought to myself this is the record of the year and as the months have passed that opinion has only strengthened. Rock and roll is back. I probably would’ve put Suburba number 2 on this list based solely on God Save Us the Foolish Kings, the best song I’ve heard all year. But this record is full of great songs start to finish and is worth you picking up and giving a spin.
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