A look back at 2013 with a little help from our friends. Enjoy top lists from Blow The Scene staffers, and lists by artists, labels and members of Enabler, His Hero Is Gone, Heartless, Oathbreaker, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Dropdead, Brutal Truth, Touche Amore and so many more!
Joshua T. Cohen Editor-in-Chief at BlowTheScene.com, Drummer of Cop Problem, Die Choking.
1. Nails – Abandon All Life
2. Baptists – Bushcraft
3. Heartless – Certain Death
4. Fucking Invincible – Downtown Is Dead
5. Old Lines – If You See Something, Say Something EP
6. Dead In the Dirt – The Blind Hole
7. Dillinger Escape Plan – One Of Us Is The Killer
8. Rotten Sound – Species At War
9. Oathbreaker – Eros|Anteros
10. All Pigs Must Die – Nothing Violates This Nature
11. Transient – self-titled
12. Condition – Deteriorating 7″ EP
13. Iron Lung – White Glove Test
14. Full Of Hell – Rudiments Of Mutilation
15. Weekend Nachos – Still
16. Centuries – Taedium Vitae
17. Touche Amore – Is Survived By
18. Unkind – Pelon Juuret
19. Kylesa – Ultraviolet
20. Pelican – Forever Becoming
Amanda Daniels (Enabler)
Sigur Ros – Kveikur
Chelsea Wolfe – Pain is Beauty
Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks
Agrimonia – Rites of Separation
Rotten Sound – Species at War
Watain – Wild Hunt
Fall Out Boy – Save Rock and Roll
Queens Of The Stone Age – Like Clockwork
Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance
Northless – World Keeps Sinking
Jesu – Everyday I Get Closer To The Light From Which I Came
Jimmy Eat World – Damages
The New Flesh – Reality
Ghost B.C. – Infestissumam
CocoRosie – Tales Of A Grass Widow
Jeff Lohrber (Enabler)
No particular order:
Watain – The Wild Hunt
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Ulcerate – Vermis
Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance
Satyricon – Satyricon
Portal – Vexovoid
Queens of the Stone Age – Like Clockwork
Pissed Jeans – Honeys
Misery Signals – Absent Light
Northless – World Keeps Sinking
Rotten Sound – Species at War
Modern Life is War – Fever Hunting
Shai Hulud – Reach Beyond the Sun
Carl Auge (Artist, His Hero Is Gone, Drain The Sky)
1. Nails – Abandon All Life
2. Oblivians – Desperation
3. The Pot House Shindies – Live
4. Cop Problem – Buried Beneath White Noise
5. High on Fire – Live in NYC
Liam Wilson (Dillinger Escape Plan)
Darkside – Psychic
Daft Punk – RAM
QOTSA – Like Clockwork
Boards Of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest
Thundercat – Apocolypse
Dawn Of MIDI – Dysnomia
Dylan Walker (vocals, Full Of Hell)
Top 5 “heavy” records for the year.
1. The Body – Christs,Redeemers
2. Column of Heaven – Holy Things Are For the Holy EP
3. Portal – Vexovoid
4. Iron Lung – White Glove Test
5. Coke Bust – Confined
Rick Mauck (Heartless)
Dead In The Dirt – The Blind Hole
Hands down my favorite album of the year, from some of my favorite humans.
Ruined Families – Blank Language
Killer stuff from Greece with so much passion and energy.
Jungbluth – Part Ache
One of the most refreshing albums I’ve heard in a long time. Perfect balance of pissed off rage and honest emotion
True Widow – Circumambulation
I spent much of the Fall zoned out with this album on repeat.
Pray For Teeth – From The Dry Edge Of The Shore
Pittsburgh’s own. Crushingly heavy with plenty of ambience.
Cloud Rat – Moksha
Such a unique approach to grindcore with some of the sickest vocals I’ve ever heard!
Primitive Man – Scorn
The fucking heaviest band around. Period.
Mitch Roemer (Old Lines, ex-Pulling Teeth, Ruiner)
1. Queens of the Stone Age–….like clock work
2. Nails – abandon all life
3. Full of Hell – rudiments of mutilation
4. Pissed Jeans– honeys
5. RoomRunner– Ideal cities
Ben Barnett (Dropdead / Armageddon Shop)
Some records from this year that got a lot of play time.
Out Cold – A Heated Display LP
Always underrated Mass HC. The last tracks Mark Sheehan was working on before he passed away, with the return of the original vocalist Kevin. Killer no b.s. hardcore.
Boston Strangler – Primitive LP
I probably don’t need to say much here. Angry, simple, and catchy Boston HC influenced by the classic Boston area bands of yesteryear.
Institution – Domen Ar Satt LP
Swedish veterans crank out a ripper of a 12″. Members of this and that, whatever, it rips.
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Mind Control LP
Picking up where they left off, the new album has great songs and songwriting that has pulled a little more from psychedelia and maybe even a hint of the Beatles here and there. Dark, spacey and heavy without being boring.
Inquisition – Obscure Verses For The Multiverse LP
This two man band does more than most full bands can manage, IE write a completely memorable black metal album. Two listens and you get it, or you don’t. Top notch.
Windhand / Cough – split 12″
The Windhand track Amaranth is a total crusher.
Lots of killer reissues in 2013, so I’ll limit it to:
Saint Vitus – Die Healing LP
You either like Vitus or you don’t, but this record is all killer.
Deep Wound – 7″
Stoked and honored we got permission to reissue this 7″. Classic ripping hardcore that influenced me way back.
Travis (Plague Dogs)
KYLESA – Ultraviolet
NIGHTFALL – Fear
CASKET – s/t
THE BAD DOCTORS – re-animate
NINE INCH NAILS – Hesitation Marks
Dante Torrieri (Senior BTS Photographer, Useless Rebel Imaging)
Anciients – Heart Of Oak
Beastmilk – Climax
Earthless – From the Ages
Goatess – Goatess
KEN Mode – Entrench
Kylesa – Ultraviolet
Serpent Throne – Brother Lucifer
Tribulation – the Formulas of Death
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Mind Control
Unkind – Pelon Juuret
Rich (Grin and Bear It)
R. Kelly – Black Panties (All The Way ft. Kelly Rowland is the song of the year)
The Weeknd – Kissland
Sacridose – Anxiety Tremors 7″
Abuse. – s/t lp
Melt Banana – Fetch
Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives
Bad Noids – Everything From Soup To Dessert
Harmony Korine‘s Spring Breakers
Altered Boys – s/t 7″
Low Charge – 7″
Dylan Garrett Smith (artist)
2013, in no particular order:
Low The Invisible Way
“Long Division” has been one of my favorite albums for YEARS. It gets heavy rotation in my studio when I need to zone out and create. I just found out a week or two ago that Low had released an album this year and I’ve been listening to it since then.
Nails Abandon All Life
I liked Nails since the first time I heard them, but after seeing them a few months ago in Philly, I was sold. I love this band and this album.
Dead in the Dirt “The Blind Hole”
Dead in the Dirt can do no wrong. I absolutely LOVE this band musically, lyrically, and ethically. If you get the chance to see them, DO IT and if you’ve never heard them, drop what you’re doing to check them out immediately. XVX
DYING/Less Life Split 12
I love both bands and DYING is always killing it. It’s a rad split by great people; I needn’t say more.
Celeste Animale(s)
There is something unique about Celeste that I’ve never been able to consciously point out. They effortlessly put out great releases.
Theurgist DeathBed
Theurgist is a relatively new death rock/post punk band from Philadelphia. I’ve really been enjoying their demo/EP and I’m looking forward to seeing them sometime soon.
Richard Hoak (Drummer; Brutal Truth, Total Fucking Destruction, Peacemaker)
Astro & Winters In Osaka: Reverberating Forest cd
Sete Star Sept: Visceral Tavern lp
Vagaasm: 2013 demo cassette
Tussock: Out of Rhyme ep
Albawitch: Only Dead Birds Sing Over The Graves of Fallen Kings cd
Azure Emote: The Gravity of Impermanence cd
Bastard Noise: The Progression of Sickness 10”ep
Spancer/ Shever: Split 10” ep
End of a Season: s/t lp
Charred Remains aka Man Is The Bastard/Bastard Noise: First
Music/First Noise split ep
Overthrust: Freedom in the Dark (live)
Naked ape: Millgram Experiment youtube demo
Tanner Douglass (Photographer, BTS Staffer)
1. Heartless– Certain Death 7inch
2. Dead In The Dirt– The Blind Hole Lp
3. Full Of Hell– Rudiments of Mutilation Lp
4. Hatred Surge– Human Overdose Lp
5. The Impalers– Lp
6. Rotten Sound– Species At War EP
George Radford (Dropdead, Fucking Invincible, Mountainman)
Bad Swimmers See You
Barnswallow Joesphine
Full of Hell Rudiments of Mutilation
Tegan and Sara Heartthrob
Curmudgeon Amydala
Greg Daly (r5 Productions, Crawlspace Booking, This Is Hardcore Fest, Tour Manager, Laid Back Dude)
In no particular order:
1) Kromosom – Nuclear Reich LP : You can skip all the other bullshit trendy raw punk records this year and just go straight to these aussie maniacs. Noisey, chaotic but you actually tell the songs apart from each other. Add in a little Oi!/Street punk influence and a few beers and this record will make you thrash your living room to pieces at 4am.
2) Night Birds – Born to Die in Suburbia LP – A fantastic punk record by a fantastic punk band from a fantastic state. No trends here. Just a great punk rock record.
3 and 4) HARD SKIN – On the Balls and Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear? LPS – Perhaps the first ever His and Hers record releases. These legendary UK punks/skins have proved why they are the best punk band in the world by releasing the same record twice. Once in traditional fashion, and then again with all of the vocals on the album replaced by female friends of theirs. The music is the same exact recording, but they have managed to change the sound completely as well as the perceived meaning of the lyrics. Both albums are as just as perfect as the other. And where else can you find Joanna Newsom singing on the same album as Beki Bondage???
5) Power Trip – Manifest Decimation LP: I have always loved the way great Texas hardcore bands have evolved in great Texas metal bands (shout outs to the recently reformed Iron Age). Power Trip carry that proud tradition in one of the most moshable and head banging albums I have heard in forever. I hope they can hold it together and take shit over in 2014.
6) Criminal Damage – Call of Death LP – I waited fro years for these guys to put out another record and was not disappointed when I heard this gem of dark street punk. I heard Varning in Montreal was their last show, but I am going to try to bribe them with plane tickets and beer for another east coast tour.
7) Napalm Death / The Melvins – Sugar Daddy Split Vol 9 Split 12″ – Obviously when I heard these 2 legendary bands were doing a split, it was cause fro celebration. But when i heard that Napalm was doing a cover of a long time favorite song of mine by the cult UK band the CARDIACS (go do yourself a favor and find some of their records), I was soooo stoked. When I finally got a copy of the song I probably listened to it 15 times in a row and was totally floored by it. Super limited edition vinyl. But go find it online and freak the fuck out.
8) DOOM – Corrupt Fucking System LP – These UK crust pioneers were long over due for a new album. And its a cider soaked glue bag of a ripper. Classic UK crust done perfectly. Once again solidifying the DOOM boys as the best of the best when it comes to heavy crust punk music. Some of their best material in decades and far and wide their best sounding recording. In full disclosure, I only have a digital version of this, as I eagerly await the record to make its way across the Atlantic. So I can easily see this album making its way into my top 10 for 2014 as well.
9) Culture Shock – Reality Stop No. 44 (reissue) LP – I have been beating up a decades old cassette copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of this demo by the criminally overlooked Culture Shock. For those who have been missing out Culture Shock were the important missing link in the career of Dick Lucas between Subhumans and Citizen Fish. Now at long last these demos have been reissued on vinyl with a great booklet full of lyrics and photos that completes the perfect package. These guys just did some reunion shows in England and Ireland. Very sad to have missed it, but lets cross our fingers that we can convince them to come over and do a show for us long time Stateside fans. Speaking of which…….
10) CHAOS IN TEJAS FESTIVAL – Not a record. But the finest music festival in the world. This years fest was one of the best yet. So many amazing bands, friends, parties, beers, swimming, food and an unending good time. I count down the days until the next one!!!
Jon Lindqvist (Victims, ex-Nasum)
Top 2
Enforcer – Into the Night
Black Trip – Heart Of The Dream
Season Of Mist Records Staffers
Gordon Conrad – COO:
ANCIIENTS– Heart of Oak
In Solitude – Sister
Holy Grail – Ride the Void
Toxic Holocaust– Chemistry of Consciousness
Gorguts – Colored Sands
KEN mode – Entrench
Enrique Sagarnaga – Publicist
Bolzer – Aura
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Castevet – Obsian
Aosoth – Arrow in Heart
Nightbringer/ Dodsengel – Circumambulations of the Solar Inferno
Antediluvian – Logos
Cult of Fire– मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान
Tribulation – The Formulas of Death
Ulcerate – Vermis
Nocturnal Graves– From the Bloodline of Cain
Paysage D’Hiver – Das Tor
Greg Karlowitsch – “Sales”
1. In Solitude – Sister
2. Tribulation – The Formulas Of Death
3. Magic Circle – S/T
4. Exhumed – Necrocracy
5. Inquisition – Obscure Verses For The Multiverse
6. Obliteration – Black Death Horizon
7. Nocturnal Graves – …From The Bloodline Of Cain
8. Necrophobic – Womb Of Lilithu
9. Queens Of The Stone Age – …Like Clockwork
10. Comadre – S/T
11. Motorhead – Aftershock
12. Carcass – Surgical Steel
13. Bölzer – Aura
Al “Algar” Colbourne:
Inquisition – Obscure Verses for the Multiverse
Tomahawk – Oddfellows
Exhumed – Necrocracy
Nine Covens – On the Dawning of Light
Clutch – Earth Rocker
Denouncement Pyre – Almighty Arcanum
Irkallian Oracle – Grave Ekstasis
Ashencult/Mephorash – Opus Serpens
Philip H. Anselmo – Walk Through Exits Only
Arckanum – Fenris Kindir
Luis Hernandez (Alpha & Omega)
Tegan and Sarah “Heartthrob”
King Nine “Scared To Death”
Trampled By Turtles “Live at First Avenue”
Balance and Composure “The Things We Think We’re Missing”
Twitching Tongues “In Love There Is No Law”
Haim “Days Are Gone”
Daylight “Jar”
Down to Nothing “Life On The James”
The Weeknd “Kiss Land”
Take Offense “United States Of Mind”
Brian Shultz (Bridge Nine)
1. Sigur Rós – Kveikur
2. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
3. Balance and Composure – The Things We Think We’re Missing
4. Deafheaven – Sunbather
5. Daughter – If You Leave
6. Moving Mountains – Moving Mountains
7. AFI – Burials
8. Modern Life Is War – Fever Hunting
9. O’Brother – Disillusion
10. Rosetta – The Anaesthete
Lorenzo (Hierophant)
Nails – Abandon All Life
Coffins – The Fleshland
Autopsy – The Headless Ritual
Power Trip – Manifest Decimation
Harm’s Way – Blinded
Ben (Hierophant)
10-Modern Life is War “fever hunting”
9-All Pigs Must Die “nothing violates this nature”
8-Alpha and Omega “no rest,no peace”
7-Kylesa “ultraviolet”
6-Octaves “which way the wind blows”
5-Carcass “surgical steel”
4-Afi “burials”
3-Integrity “suicide black snake”
2-High on Fire “art of self defense”
1-Nails “abandon all life”
Anne Spina (Anne Spina Photography, BTS Staff Photographer)
This picture taken by Josh Cohen. I had not seen Caitlin smile like that for months
Sunny of Hate5six winning a photograph of Doyle from the Misfits at the Rumpshaker Hardcore reading and giving it to me. (I love the Misfits and have Doyle from the Earth AD cover as a tattoo)
Seeing Slayer for 75 cents and hanging out with old friends, some of whom I have been listening to Slayer with since high school.
Joe Hardcore bringing back matinee shows. What a great way to spend an afternoon. (Even if Chris X has to get up early to be there)
Seeing friends that I used to go to shows with in the late 80’s/early 90’s at This Is Hardcore on Saturday. 20 years and you guys are still the same and it felt like I was a kid again.
The Judge reunion at BNB Bowl. (and meeting Chris Wynne’s cats) What a weekend.
All of the photographers I worked with shooting shows this year, Danielle Parsons, Rachel Wass, Sunny Singh (yes I know he does video, but he is in there with the rest of us) Robby Redcheeks, Todd Pollack, Jeff Laisch and Dante Torrieri. All of you kept things normal which was what I needed. Kate Freese you better get your butt to a Philly show and photograph with me.
The pizza party at TIH. Watching everyone go nuts with pizza and the Noid stagediving was amazing. Only bad part was finding pizza in my camera bag the next day, but hey at least it was vegan.
Thank you to all my friends for keeping me sane this year. I joke about hardcore being a vacation from the real world, but for me it really is a place where I can get away and just have fun. Extra special thanks to Vince Harvcore for being the most awesome husband and always going above and beyond.
Nathan Grey (Boysetsfire)
I Am Heresy– THY WILL
Mogwai– Rave Tapes
Behemoth– The Satanist
Current 93– I AM THE LAST OF ALL THE FIELD THAT FELL: A CHANNEL
Imogen Heap– Sparks
Ricky Singh (Backtrack)
Top 5 Hardcore LP’s Of 2013
1. Take Offense – United States Of Mind
2. Down To Nothing – Life On The James
3. Terror – Live By The Code
4. King Nine – Scared To Death
5. Incendiary – Cost Of Living
Honorable Mentions: Power Trip – Manifest Decimation, The Rival Mob – Mob Justice
Top 5 Most Anticipated Hardcore Releases of 2014:
1. Suburban Scum LP
2. The Extermination 2 Compilation
3. Heavy Chains EP
4. No One Rules EP
5. Piece By Piece LP
Charles Chussinand (Test Of Time)
DNA “s/t” 7″
War Generation “Start Somewhere, Never Surrender” LP
AFI “Burials” LP
Bad Religion “True North” LP
This Routine is Hell “Howl” LP
Beartrap “Stoughton Forever” EP
Caught in a Crowd “The Fight” EP
Daylight “Jar” LP
Old Flings / The Fake Boys “Split” EP
Paint it Black “Invisible” EP
Stephanie Marlow – Indie Publicity
1. Daylight – Jar
2. Deafheaven – Sunbather
3. Doomriders – Grand Blood
4. Cult of Luna – Vertikal
5. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
6. My Bloody Valentine – mbv
7. City and Colour – The Hurry and the Harm
8. Weekend – Jinx
9. Alcoa – Bone & Marrow
10. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Mind Control
Jonah Bayer – United Nations
Bottomless Pit “Shade Perennial”
Deafheaven “Sunbather”
Touche Amore “Is Survived By”
Jake Bellows “New Ocean”
Jason Isbell “Southeastern”
Laura Stevenson “Wheel”
Overseas “Overseas”
Russian Circles “Memorial”
The Night Marchers “Allez Allez”
The Head And The Heart “Let’s Be Still”
Neeraj Kane – Holy Fever
Top 10 music 2013 …no particular order.
1. Suede (The London Suede) –Bloodsports
2. Johnny Marr– The Messenger
3. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club– Specter at the Feast
4. Bass Drum of Death– self titled
5. Coliseum –Sister Faith
6. My Bloody Valentine–M.B.V.
7. Neko Case –The worse things get the harder I fight, the harder I fight, the more I love you.
8. Weekend– Jinx
9. Youth Code -demo and 7 inch
10.Pearl Jam– Lightning Bolt
J. Bannon (Converge, Wear Your Wounds, Deathwish, etc)
Best of 2013 in no particular order
Depeche Mode “Delta Machine”
Zola Jesus “Versions”
ASG “Blood Drive”
Mazzy Star “Seasons of Your Day”
Nails “Abandon All Life”
Magic Circle “Self Titled”
Carcass “Surgical Steel”
Satyricon “Self Titled”
Enforcer “Death by Fire”
Red Hare “Nites of Midnight”
Blast! “Blood”
Friends and loved ones
Diamonds and Rust
All things Deathwish
Larry West (BTS Designer, Indie Graphic Artist)
Best Albums:
1. Skeletonwitch “Serpents Unleashed” – This is the album I’ve been waiting for! I always wanted to love Skeletonwitch and with this album they proved that they are going to be the leaders of the next wave of metal. Combining Thrash and Black Metal, the band has crafted a masterpiece of Blackened Thrash that elicit feelings of pride and elegance, as well as brutality and strength. Songs like the title track, “From a Cloudless Sky”, “Unwept”… Frankly, every single song is a breath of graveyard air riddled with the sweet smell of hell, breathing new life into a corpse begging to be reborn.
2. Carcass “Surgical Steel” – Carcass has released an album of brutal thrash metal that sounds like the instruction manuals for every weapon mankind has ever used, resulting in one of the most precisely brutal albums I’ve ever heard. “Captive Bolt Pistol” and “Unfit for Human Consumption” are two of the greatest songs on this album, the later of the two using a hint of melody that makes the song cut through bone and into your heart.
3. Arsis “Unwelcome” – Call it a comeback and a return to form! This is the Arsis we know and love! While taking the unmatched majesty and technical skill of their earlier albums, the band has come back with more range and melody. “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” and “Carve My Cross”, and their re-imagined version of “Sunglasses at Night” make this an amazing album.
4. Protest the Hero “Violation” – This is a band that I never though I would like, but this album has made me love them. I gave it a shot since Chris Adler of Lamb of God was on drums, and I’m glad I did, because this album is great! Taking elements of metal and hardcore, and mixing it all with some amazing songwriting and melody, songs like “Clarity” and “Drumhead Trial” will have you banging you fists.
5. Live Not on Evil “When Everything Goes Down” – Philadelphia’s best and brightest horror punk band took their own horrors and made an album that is haunting at times and some of the best writing and one of the best performances all year! “Bringing Back to Live” and “Switchblade Angels” are some great tracks, with Rodney Anonymous of The Dead Milkmen with backup vocals on “Still Haunts Me”.
6. Kalmah “Seventh Swampany” – I had never heard of Kalmah and this album was a welcome surprised! Playing what they call “Swamp Metal”, but I just call awesome, the album takes symphonic metal and combines it with melodic death metal to create some amazing sonic landscapes. “Pikemaster” and “Deadfall” are just great!
7. Motorhead “Aftershock” – Motorhead comes back after the rather lackluster “The World is Yours” with an album that reclaims their spot as one of the great bands in hard rock and metal. “Heartbreaker” kicks your ass, “Lost Woman Blues” is a true blues song, and “Queen of the Damned” is just downright classic!
8. Revocation “Revocation” – For years, Revocation has been pushing the limits of metal, and with this they finally reached an apex of brutality and precision.
9. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! “Pardon My French” – This was one of my favorite albums this year since it combined (of all things) Pop-Punk and Metalcore into something just delightful! Its an odd album but its also the first time I had a giant grin on my face while listening to something in years.
10. Rob Zombie “Venoumous Rat Regeneators” – The best Rob Zombie album in years this sees him releasing a semi-concept album that focuses on the same horror rock we know and love but with a bit more attitude and just enjoyment. “Lucifer’s Rising” and “Revelation Revolution” are worth checking out.
11. Queensryche “Queensryche (2013)” – There is only one REAL Queensryche, and this album proves that the original members are better off without Geoffe Tate.
Nick Steinhardt – Touche Amore
best songs of 2013
Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
AFI – 17 crimes
Deafheaven – Dream House
Chelsea Wolfe – The Waves Have Come
VOW – make me young
Gilles – Oathbreaker
Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe
Mortifera – Bleüu de Morte
Zola Jesus – Versions
Deafheaven – Sunbather
True Widow – Circumambulation
Weekend – Jinx
Chelsea Wolfe – Pain is Beauty
My Bloody Valentine – mbv
Kurt Vile – Wakin on a Pretty Daze
Ash Borer – Bloodlands EP
Loma Prieta “Top 5 Coffees of 2013”
1. Timeless Coffee Roasters, Oakland, CA – Ethiopia Guji Uraga Pour over
2. Bear Pond Espresso, Tokyo, Japan – Espresso Shot (0.5 oz)
3. New Harvest, Providence, RI – Iced Coffee
4. Allpress Espresso, London, England – Soy Flat White
5. Elixir, Philadelphia, PA – Kyoto Cold Brew
Jami Morgan – Code Orange Kids
Albums of the year
Nails – Abandon All Life
Twitching Tounges – In Love There is No Law
My Bloody Valentine – MBV
Incendiary – Cost of Living
Daylight – Jar
Ice Age – You’re Nothing
Harms Way – Blinded
Chvrches – The Bones of What you Believe
Pity Sex – Feast of Love
King Nine – Scared To Death
Full of Hell – Rudiments Of Mutilation
7″s
Path To Misery – Disarmament
Eternal Sleep – Dead Like Me
Discourse – The Curse of Consciousness
Title Fight – Spring Songs
Ivo – Oathbreaker
Carcass – Surgical Steel
Let’s just all agree this is the best metal album that came out in 2013. I was curious and afraid, because ‘comeback albums’ tend to be a painful experience from time to time. With Surgical Steel, Carcass managed to update their sound and write a cohesive album without any weak moments.
Nails – Abandon All Life
It seems like Nails’ fanbase has grown a lot in 2013, and rightly so. Abandon All Life feels like getting punched in the face (or ears) for 17 minutes straight.
Arctic Monkeys – AM
When Arctic Monkeys first came into the spotlight, I’d already had my fill of of nervous Brit-rock bands. I gave them a second chance with Humbug and had to drastically change my opinion on them. The last couple of years, they’ve been steadily building a solid discography with AM being their best record yet.
The Rott Childs – Alleluia: A Brit Milah In G Melodic Minor
Talking about nervous, The Rott Childs released their second full length in 2013. Much like their first, the follow-up is an explosion of weird guitar riffing, explosive drum parts and howlin’ vocals. However – and I know this will sound weird – the whole package sounds a lot more balanced than their debut. Definitely one of the most interesting releases for me in 2013.
Kanye West – Yeezus
Yep. He’s definitely crazy and it probably wouldn’t hurt him to get some professional help but I listened a lot to this album in 2013.
Other albums that I really liked in 2013:
Pissed Jeans – Honeys
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away
Chvrches – The Bones Of What You Believe
Watain – The Wild Hunt
Arcade Fire – Reflektor
Best book I read in 2013 that actually came out in 2013:
Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According To Questlove – Ahmir ‘?uestlove’ Thompson
Ryan Boone – Bridge Nine
The Body – Christs, Redeemers
Sickoids – No Home
True Widow – Circumambulation
Hounds Of Hate – S/T
Beastmilk – Climax
Iron Lung – White Glove Test
The Rival Mob – Mob Justice
Mercy Killings – S/T
Green Beret – Cult Of State
Coke Bust – Confined
Bob Wilson – Mother Of Mercy
Mercy killings
Magic circle
Mob justice
Mammoth grinder
Hatred surge
Consolation prize
Semper eaden
NAILS
Michael Carter Williams
Anything Future related
Felix Skinner, Wreck & Reference, 2013
Events that temporarily occluded the void: Dean Blunt’s two dissociative monuments and spectral appearance at Complex. Moin’s shatteringly good and far-too-short EP, Raime’s harrowing and ending-just-before-I-had-an-actual-nervous-breakdown live performance. Carey Mercer’s good news. Locrian’s Eternal Return. Discovering Limmy’s Show. Circle and Mammifer’s luxurious haunting. Deafheaven performing Dream House to a clamoring, enraptured swarm. Planning For Burial performing his heartbreaking new album. Our supportive friends/bands/audiences/tour saviors. Majical Cloudz. The Act of Killing. Nick Cave giving hope to aging.
Botanist
Otrebor’s favorite albums of 2013 in alphabetical order
Edenbridge “The Bonding”
Eluvium “Nightmare Ending”
Fanisk “Insularum”
Fyrnask “Eldir Nótt”
Helloween “Straight out of Hell”
Inquisition “Obscure Verses for the Multiverse”
Kauan “Pirut”
Midnight Odyssey/Aeon Winds split
Oranssi Pazuzu “Velonielu”
Paysage D’Hiver “Das Tor”
Ruins of Beverast, The “Blood Vaults”
Spectral Lore/Mare Cognitum split
Sub Rosa “More Constant Than the Gods”
Summoning “Old Mornings Dawn”
various artists “Converge, Rivers of Hell” (Tempestuous Fall, Midnight Odyssey, The Crevices Below)
biggest disappointment Ghost “Infestissumam”
Recommended for you
