It’s that time of year again. All else aside, the music released this year has been fantastic. Obligatory plug to remind everyone that there were not 1, but 2 Jimmy NaNa albums released this year. Check out Rapid-Fire and Revived Volume One everywhere you listen to music. And don’t forget to check out the upcoming release from my new band, Velositor. Now, on to the list.

Loathe – I Let It In and It Took Everything
One of the heaviest, yet melodically haunting, albums I’ve heard in a while. A huge step up from their last album, this will hit you with downtuned metal-core/djent riffs in the verses followed by melodic, shoegaze style choruses. The only complaint, which is somewhat of a compliment, is that at times it can be a little too derivative of the Deftones’ sound. But considering they are also one of my favorite bands, it doesn’t really take away from the enjoyment.

Katy Perry – Smile
For the most part, I skipped over whatever Katy Perry did between Prism and Smile. There were some songs, but that’s it. Smile though, I enjoyed start to finish. I think it’s some of her best work. Even if she did (legally) rip off another song to create “Never Really Over.” The songs are all hits and get stuck in your head instantly. There’s a good range of emotion as usual. Harleys in Hawaii is a standout track for me. It has a great groove and makes you want to fly to Hawaii and hop on a hog, even if that’s something you never wanted to do before.

Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory (20th Anniversary Edition)
First of all, 20 years! Wow, it’s like I was just listening to this on the way to class in high school. Anyway, the album itself is obviously old, but this edition has loads of demos and tracks I’ve never heard from earlier incarnations of the band. It’s not all great, but anyone who is a fan of the band will enjoy the 6 discs worth of rare stuff here.

Currents – The Way It Ends
I don’t listen to this one quite as much as Currents’ previous effort (The Place I Feel Safest) but that’s not a knock to its quality. It offers more of the same dynamic song structure and energy from that album. The only difference is their sound didn’t evolve much and I felt the vocal melodies didn’t hook me this time around. Still, an enjoyable listen overall and if you liked their previous work, this will give you that same feeling.

Ariana Grande – Positions
Not my favorite album from her, but there are definitely a lot of great songs on it. I’ll admit at my age it’s getting harder to identify with the lyrics, but the excellent writing, production and performances are enough to keep this one spinning. There are also some nods to her earlier work that was influenced heavily by 90s R&B.

Dance Gavin Dance – Afterburner
It’s hard to keep up with the amount of music this band releases. I haven’t been able to give their last few albums much listening time, but there hasn’t been anything I didn’t like. Afterburner sticks with the sound they perfected on Instant Gratification. It’s not my favorite DGD album, but it certainly has some of their best songs on it like Three Wishes, One In A Million and Strawberry’s Wake. I always look forward to hearing what they do next.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Soundtrack
For whatever reason, this movie really hit a homerun with me and a lot of that had to do with it’s soundtrack. I don’t remember the last time I actually went out of my way to listen to a movie soundtrack (maybe The Lion King) but this one was on repeat for awhile. Aside from the comedic value, there are some truly great songs on here.

Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place to Die
This year has given many people a plethora of reasons to be angry. For those times, this is a great album to listen to. There’s not much in the way of diversity, but every track is a banger that’ll make you wish concerts weren’t cancelled so you can hop it the pit for the breakdowns.

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Bring Me the Horizon – Post Human: Survival Horror
BMTH have evolved their sound over the span of their career, and in most cases I’ve liked it. This time around they go back to their roots a bit, while also further evolving what they can do. There aren’t a lot of songs on this album, but they are all unique from each other. There are also some interesting guest spots that take them further outside of what is already a pretty large box.

Within the Ruins – Black Heart
These guys are at it again with their brand of technically proficient metal. Everything is virtuoso-level awesome and of course the lone instrumental track is as musically creative as they’ve ever been. The clean vocals are impressive this time around, as well.

Like Moths to Flames – No Eternity In Gold
LMTF are another band who never falter. From the beginning they manage to get both heavier and more melodic at the same time. Not easy to do for a band that started out doing both things well. This album is in their top 3 for me and shows that they aren’t slowing down in any way.

In Hearts Wake – Kaliyuga
A band that I wasn’t into before this album, but they really impressed me with this one. From the first single they released, it just had a different sound from what else is out there. It sounds fresh, but also pulls a lot from 90s and 2000s metal. A perfect mix for me.

Eminem – Music to Be Murdered By
I hadn’t paid much attention to Eminem after the Marshall Mathers LP, but between this album and Kamikaze, he’s at the top of his game. The second release of this album with a full tracklist of B-sides is almost as good as the main album. He was always a proficient artist but what he’s been doing on these last albums is a completely new level and I’ll be sure to pay attention the next time he surprise releases an album.

Artificial Sky – Luftslottet
I can’t remember where I found these guys, but this 5 piece from Sweden is fantastic. The clean vocals are as soulful and catchy as the screams are brutal. The way they mix in atmospheric electronic sounds is creative as well. I can’t say they have a totally unique sound, but there aren’t many bands that do it as well as they do. 10 songs isn’t enough for me so I’m definitely waiting for the next release.

Beyond Our Suffering – Conflict
Another relatively lesser known band that impressed me with excellent singing, screaming and heavy riffs. There’s some great guitar solos on this EP as well. 5 songs is also not enough of this sound for me, so hoping to hear more from them soon.

Diamond Construct – DCX2
The last album these guys from Australia put out was one of the heaviest things I’ve ever heard. This 4 song EP doesn’t stray from that formula. It adds even more unique sounds I didn’t think a guitar could make. My only complaint here, again, is that it’s too short.