Ah yes, a shameless revival of something I forgot about, but, with a twist! Ooooh! It's alright, nothing mental, but this series of posts started off as a top 20, but to be honest, as something that's so quick to change and adapt, why just talk about a top 20? Why not just put up every album I've been feeling recently, and just update it every now and again with some new stuff, some old stuff, and shit I've not been able to get out of my head. So, here's another five of my top albums in no particular order - enjoy!
MANIA - FALL OUT BOY (2018)
(MANIA Album Cover - Fall Out Boy 2018)
Favourite Song - Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea
Rating - 8.5/10
We're starting off a touch controversial here I know, but holy shit is this an over-hated album. Even Patrick Stump himself has said he still sticks by MANIA even though critics and die-hard fans alike said it was the weakest record by the Chicago rockers to date. However, I violently remember when this record released, and remember being absolutely enamoured by this volatile experimental effort from them that came entirely out of left field. It seemed like a knee-jerk reaction to this strange liminal space the band found themselves on - one one side they were the pop-punk giants who's catchy riffs and heavy hitting lyrics bought them into the mainstream, on the other, the band was dipping their toe into some more electronic beat lead music on their previous record American Beauty/American Psycho and that bled full force into this album. Full of memorable moments, punchy lyrics and clinical production, MANIA is perhaps proof that you need to get out of your comfort zone sometimes to make art that exhibits true feeling and emotion, even if it means the die hards have some minor heart palpitations listening to Young and Menace.
THIS PLACE WILL BECOME YOUR TOMB - SLEEP TOKEN (2021)
(This Place Will Become Your Tomb Album Cover - Sleep Token 2021)
Favourite Song - The Love You Want
Rating - 9/10
All parts heart wrenching, beautiful and viscerally punchy, TPWBYT is yet more proof that Sleep Token are the creators of their own musical destiny. From tracks like Hypnosis that blast with heavy drums and slamming bass, to the perfectly cinematic Alkaline and the guttural and stripped back Fall For Me, this record scorches Sleep Token's path into yet more unknown, but nonetheless brilliant realms. The way the band continues to evolve from their previous work, while staying true to their insane soundscape based anthemic metal genre they've built around themselves, these tracks cut deeper, rage harder, and create an album that ebbs and flows like the water that holds the entire thematic of this gorgeous record together. I find myself consistently revisiting this one, as there's literally a song for any mood, and they all absolutely slap.
REVOLUTION RADIO - GREEN DAY (2016)
(Revolution Radio Album Art - Green Day 2016)
Favourite Song - Still Breathing
Rating - 8/10
This record is good easy listening to a T from Green Day. Although it's not their most well known or celebrated record, Revolution Radio is full of explosive punk-rock tracks that are just a joy to listen to and revisit over and over again. Plus, the song writing takes no hits in terms of it's venom and political punchiness, take a look at Bang Bang - and there's also some serious heartbreak, with my favourite track Still Breathing documenting lead singer Billy Joe's struggles with rehab and substance abuse. This record is all the things that are brilliant about Green Day without any interruptions or filler, and you can tell. Full of guitars with tone that absolutely dominates the mix, amazing bass and drum performances, and enough steady beats to give yourself a solid neck injury, this record oozes this band's very base identity. We're here to rock by our rules.
72 SEASONS - METALLICA (2023)
(72 Seasons Album Art - Metallica 2023)
Favourite Song - Inamorata
Rating - 9/10
A lot of people are very quick to claim albums as theirs, you know 'this is my Fall Out Boy album', but when I say THIS is my Metallica record, I mean it. I've always had a love for these guys, how could you not? They're absolute veterans of the game, and have made some of the most successful and some would argue some of the greatest thrash metal ever to grace the earth. I'd agree. Metallica is an institution of game changing music and this album was no exception. Coming off the back of an album that divided opinions, 72 Seasons reminded everyone that the name Metallica carries a pedigree unknown by so many others in the scene. This is an album with almost zero skips, with each song becoming it's own animal throughout their runtimes and showcasing that even now, Hetfeild, Ulrich, Hammet and Trujilo are still legends of the game, and still have a lot left in them. I was also lucky enough to be able to attend a pop-up event held for this album, which only made my love for it grow more being able to interact with the release and celebration first hand.
THE JAWS OF LIFE - PIERCE THE VEIL (2023)
(The Jaws of Life Album Art - Pierce the Veil 2023)
Favourite Song - The Jaws of Life
Rating - 8.5/10
Although this record has gone down a .5 rating since I listened to it first off, that by no means signifies a lack in love and respect of this album. PTV are emo legends, and to continue stretching and exploring their sound even this long after their breakout records goes to prove that this band will stop at nothing to create music that stays true to their vision. This record is no different, and absolutely rips. Instrumentally, this record is damn near perfect, with beautiful guitars that scream and chug like Thomas gone goth, slamming and heavy drums that punctuate the weaving basslines, and that signature Vic Fuentes vocal performance that puts any other emo-wannabe to shame, The Jaws of Life is not only an insanely good album, it's also a declaration. These guys will be waving the emo flag for as long as their still doing their own thing, and you can feel that in this record, front to back.
And with that, another five get struck off the list. I think I'll keep this thing going as long as there are cool albums to talk about - and by my list that I'm keeping of records I want to talk about, I've got about 17 or so left. But there's new stuff coming out, old stuff to dive back into, so I really could keep doing this till I eventually drop off. Who knows.
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