So first off, favorite Burzum album (why not):
Filosofem: Actually a tough choice for myself, as both Hvis Lyset Tar Oss and Dauði Baldrs are also stunning atmospheric albums. All in all, 'Dunkelheit' and 'Jesu Død', coupled with the epic (and severely misunderstood) 'Rundtgåing Av Den Transcendentale Egenhetens Støtte', add up to far too powerful an album to deny preeminence. Honourable mentions: everything down to Hliðskjálf (personal low point, and still an album worth giving a listen)
Favorite Darkthrone album:
A Blaze in the Northern Sky: Another stumper (a near four-way tie), with Soulside Journey, Under a Funeral Moon and even Transylvanian Hunger all vying for top honours as the quintessential Darkthrone album. All near-perfect albums front to back, but any album opening with a song half as good as 'Kathaarian Life Code' deserves a place in my personal music history. Honourable mentions: Panzerfaust, Frostland Tapes.
Favorite Agalloch album:
Ashes Against the Grain: Although another band who has yet to disappoint with any release to date, this was a bit easier. Ashes Against the Grain represents the purest form of what I believe Agalloch means to capture with their music. Each song seems to emanate with the very resinous, woody aroma of which their name alludes. Easily one of the most influential albums in my collection. Honourable mentions: The White EP, The Mantle, Pale Folklore, Marrow of the Spirit
Favorite Neige album:
Écailles de lune - Alcest: When it comes to a man so accomplished in the many subgenres of black metal, I find myself having something of an internal struggle with finalizing an absolute victor. Having a hand in (or all of) such bands as Alcest, Amesoeurs, Peste Noire, Mortifera, Lantlôs, Forgotten Woods, Valfunde and Phest, none of which lack an album of note, Neige has certainly carved for himself a varried and expansive name in black metal of the past decade. I personally think Écailles de lune is a beautiful cross-section of Neige as an artist, so here it stands as my mover and shaker. Honourable mentions: Ruines Humaines EP (Amesoeurs), .Neon (Lantlôs), Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde (Alcest) and La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénérescence (Peste Noire) to name a few.
Favorite Hip-Hop album:
Illmatic - Nas: Yup. The groundbreaking debut of rapper Nas that will live on in hip-hop legacy. The shattering influence and message of the album really, in my mind, sets it far above and beyond any hip-hop album to date. Consideration was of course given to such albums as The Blueprint and The Black Album (Jay-Z), The Chronic (Dr. Dre), It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Public Enemy), Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A.) and Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Wu-Tang Clan), but, for me (someone who has very limited hip-hop taste), Illmatic has by and large stood out as something special.
Favorite metal album of 2010:
Monument to Time End - Twilight: How much I would love to put Marrow of the Spirit(Agalloch) or Belus (Burzum) in its stead, but this, the second release from American superband 'Twilight', left absolutely nothing to be desired. Twilight is a band comprised of members from every corner of the American black metal scene, so it doesn't come as too much of a surprise that this album kicked some series fucking ass. Far from average 'raw', 'old-school' black metal, this album really took a giant leap in the right direction. As long as this side-project doesn't spell the end of such bands as Nachtmystium, Isis (a man can dream), Kreig or Leviathan (USA), I can definitely find myself onboard for the future. Honourable mentions: What Once Was... Liber I (Blut Aus Nord), Streams Inwards (Mar De Grises), Axioma Ethica Odini (Enslaved), Island (Island), Norrøn Livskate (Solefald), 16[485] (Agrypnie), The Mercian Sphere (Winterfylleth)
Favorite non-metal album of 2010 (aka other favorite metal album of 2010):
Власть Зимы - Хлад: Okay, okay its metal. But only just a little bit. And I will keep telling myself this because I really want to mention this album somewhere, and this seemed like my best chance. To the best of my knowledge, this appears to be the third and latest release by Russian ambient black metal artist Хлад (which translates roughly as "chill", please correct me if I am wrong). Anywho, I really just wanted to get this album out there as it really is special.
Actual favorite non-metal album of 2010 (fo realz):
Surfing the Void - Klaxons: Why? Fuck if I know, its just an amazing album. Something about it nabbed me. I could probably put thirty albums in its place, but a combination of all around solid music, and the years best album artwork swings Klaxons into top spot. Very honourable mentions go to Heligoland (Massive Attack), Infinite Arms (Band of Horses), Recovery (Eminem), Have One on Me (Joanna Newsom), Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings (Prophecy Productions), You Will Not Survive (The Saddest Landscape), Freigeist (Fuck Your Shadow From Behind), and so many, many more I cannot think of
Favorite album of Calgary's local scene way back in the day:
The Quiet One And The Lonely One - Beija Flor : Damn. Now that was a question wrought with indecision. Why did I chose to pluck this blurry photo out of the depths of some long forgotten local blog and paste it here as top dog over the years of local shows? I suppose its persistence as a staple in my iTunes library. An album that came out in 2005 (has it really been that long?), smack in the middle of the cherished days of donning safety pins and innovative hairstyles. How things change drastically in six years. Don't get me wrong, this was a troubled decision, and one I still feel I may not be 100% in agreeance with. But, for now, it stays. Again, very honourable mentions: Mending Our Broken (Nikola Tesla), 1936 (The Martyr Index), The Zombie Chainsaw Massacre (The Suicide Boys...to be honest this album was fucking terrible. Just had to mention it for the song 'Knowing Doesn't Make it Easier'. Good fucking song), The Silent Auction EP (The Silent Auction), The Incand Essence (Sudden Infant Dance Syndrome...if only for the genius of the name), Modern Youth (The Skitzos) and so many more I have grown to forget entirely it seems. Please, anyone feel free to refresh my memory on any keystones I have missed here.
Favorite Bathory album:
Hammerheart: Fuck yeah. Probably should have been a more difficult decision due to the slew of amazing Bathory albums (Blood Fire Death, Under the Sign of the Black Mark, Twilight of the Gods, Nordland I, etc...), but fuck yes 'One Rode to Asa Bay'. Sold. Money song, money video, money album. Enough said. Honourable mentions: Discography, save maybe Octagon, but I am pretty sure nobody even recognizes that as a Bathory album anyway.
Favorite post-hardcore album:
Catch for Us the Foxes - mewithoutYou: Oh baby, yet another category that took some solid hardwork and genuine willpower to shrink down to one elite album. It was yet again an exercise in tenacity to pinpoint which album had the oomph, but I think i got there. Any of these are subject to change at my will, so be weary. Honourable mentions: discography (mewithoutYou), pre-2008 discography (Alexisonfire), pre-2003 discography (Thrice), Relationship of Command (At the Drive-In), The Fall of Troy (The Fall of Troy), Put on the Wooden Overcoat (The Glass Ocean), Means of Escape (Mach Tiver), All We Are Is Now (I Create), The Old Road (Mesa Verde), All is Apologized for All is Forgiven (The Saddest Landscape), They're Only Chasing Safety (UnderOath)...hmm turned out to be quite a list. And yes, I realize not all of these bands stick to strict post-hardcore qualifications, but they are all more than close enough for my giving a shit.
Favorite Cradle of Filth Album:
Cruelty and the Beast: I'd just like to start off saying yes, I fucking love Cradle of Filth. I don't really understand the whole 'black metal kvlt=CoF suxx' thing people have going. Transitionally one of the most surprising and interesting bands around and the lyrical themes are almost outmatched in music. Cruelty and the Beast being, in my opinion, the best representation of both. Also, I have this awkward love affair with anything surrounding Erzsebet Bathory. All in all, a stunningly poetic album from an often stunningly poetic band. Honourable mentions: Nymphetamine, Midian, Damnation and a Day, Bitter Suites to Succubi
Favorite Album by a band beginning with the letter 'C':
Misanthrope(s) - Celeste (France): Bear with me on the title of this category. I had just realized I had yet to mention a single band in honourables or otherwise that begins with the letter 'C'. So here we are. And damn, there are alot of good bands with the particular letter up front. Celeste just seemed to pop out at me as I have been listening to them, and particularly this album, non-stop over the past few months. An enticing blend of black metal and hardcore, unlike anything I have heard. Some bands (not specific albums) that gave a hard run: Castevet (CSTVT), Comeback Kid, Cryptic Wintermoon, Caïna. Oh, totally just realized I did an entire category (about 5 minutes ago) on Cradle of Filth, who indeed begin with the letter 'C'. Oh well, ma bad.
Favorite Idjarn album:
Hardangervidda: Ahh Ildjarn, the epitome of hit-or-miss it would seem. Personally, I am a huge fan of most, if not all, his work, especially the Ildjarn-Nidhogg recordings (something I think most listeners would agree on). Hardangervidda is one of these, and one of the most underrated ambient metal masterpieces I have ever had the pleasure of coming across. Although admittedly it took me a few listens to really discover the beauty hiding within, I'm glad I gave it the chance it undoubtedly deserves. Unconventional in its own right, with unexpected melodies constantly dissolving into one another. Definitely worth a mention in my ever-growing list of musics finest. Honourable mentions: Strength and Anger, Forest Poetry, Det Frysende Nordariket (yeah yeah, its a greatest hits compilation. But its a damn good one)
Favorite Split Album:
The First Step Towards Suicide - Happy Days/Eindig: Can't say this was too tough a decision. Don't get me wrong, there are more than a fair share of wicked split release albums out there. This is just one that hit heavy and hard for me. Both bands bringing four beautiful tracks to the table. Not to mention the bad-ass bassline in 'Clinging Onto A Chance Of Happiness', setting the background for one of the coolest voice-overs (Clive Owen and Jude Law from the movie Closer) ever to open a song (or album for that matter). As you have probably concluded, this is a dsbm album, and therefor certainly not for everyone. Honourable mentions: Zapolyarie (All the Cold / Zebulon Kosted), The Split Program (Caliban / Heaven Shall Burn), Nikola Tesla & Except My Life (Split LP), None Shall Escape the Wrath (Krieg / Eternal Majesty / Judas Iscariot / Macabre Omen), What We've Built (Parkway Drive / Shoot to Kill / Think Straight), Wyrd & Häive & Kehrä Split
Best EP/Demo:
Squatta's Paradise - Choking Victim: Oh fuck yeah I almost didn't include this album here at all. Honestly, until a few minutes ago I had forgotten its existence entirely. Anywho, amazing album, amazing EP, pretty much enough said. Honourable mentions: Crime as Forgiven by Against Me! (Against Me!), Of Stone, Wind and Pillor (Agalloch), Ship of Relations (Yesterdays Rising), The Grim Visage of Death (Welter in Thy Blood), Pikul (Silversun Pickups), Fuck Me Jesus (Marduk), I Am Alone With You (Hypomanie)
I am, for now, going to post this as somewhat of a stub to be completed at whim.
Ta-ta,
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