Top 10 Hard Rock Albums of 2018

Last year was a lackluster year for new rock and left my list pretty diverse as I scrounged for 10 list-worthy albums.  This year it was a lot harder narrowing it down to my top 10 and figuring out the order.  The top two were a no brainer, but some surprises made the top 5 and some that I was highly anticipating didn't even make the cut.  That's a good problem to have if you are a rock fan!  Check out my top picks and then sink your teeth into the honorable mention category.  Let me know if you think I left something out.

1. Judas Priest - Firepower
2. Nonpoint - X
3. Tremonti - A Dying Machine
4. Devour the Day - Signals
5. Bad Wolves - Disobey
6. Slash - Living the Dream
7. Senses Fail - If There Is Light, It Will Find You
8. Palisades - Erase the Pain
9. Breaking Benjamin - Ember
10. Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army

Approaching their 50th anniversary, Judas Priest show that they've still got it.  They put out a killer album that shows their vintage sound on some songs along with some more modern metal interpretations within the 14 tracks of Firepower. Read more about my thoughts here.  Nonpoint continue to deliver some of the best alternative metal music of the new millenium and are also establishing their dominance with their 10th studio album.  My review of X-Deluxe.

Tremonti continues to be one of the most prolific hard rock guitarists and with his fourth solo album he delivers the goods again.  It may be his most dynamic solo effort to date with some driving songs (Bringer of War), some shredding solos (A Lot Like Sin, Desolation), and some more pop-oriented anthems (Trust, The First the Last).  One of the things I've noticed is that although his singing range is limited, the choruses have gotten bigger and make you want to sing along (From the Sky).  The drumming also impressed me on this album.  About the only thing I didn't like was the album closer which is an instrumental of mostly ambient noise.

Devour the Day is made up of a few former members of Egypt Central and a former drummer of Bury Your Dead. They are signed to Razor & Tie Records which has had an impressive list of artists and some of the best hard rock bands in recent years. The album, Signals, is the third release from Devour the Day and it just sounds to me like a fresh take on hard rock that is desperately needed these days. There's melody, there's meaningful lyrics, and there's tight musicianship in their songs. The vocals are mostly clean singing (so you can actually understand them), but there are enough screams and breakdowns that you can still release some pent-up crazy.  I hear interesting components reminiscent of of everything from Helmet to Trust Company to Pantera in their songs on this disc. Definitely check it out.

Bad Wolves is a supergroup with vocalist Tommy Vext (ex-Snot), drummer John Boecklin (ex-DevilDriver), lead guitarist Doc Coyle (ex-God Forbid), rhythm guitarist Chris Cain (ex-Bury Your Dead) and bassist Kyle Konkiel (ex-In This Moment, ex-Scar the Martyr, Vimic). They are managed by Zoltan Bathory of Five Finger Death Punch. They live up to the supergroup moniker by blending sounds influenced by punk, industrial, thrash, nu-metal, and even the Cranberries. Their cover of Zombie was supposed to feature Delores O'Riordan before her tragic death. The album delivers a lot more than that one song. If you like the crossover sound, it also features a song with Diamante. I saw them open for 5FDP and Breaking Benjamin and was really impressed with their live performance.

I previously reviewed Slash's latest album here and Breaking Benjamin's Ember here.


Honorable Mentions
AFI - The Missing Man - EP
Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog
All That Remains - Victim of the New Disease
Architects - Holy Hell
Atreyu - In Our Wake
Beartooth - Disease
Black Label Society - Grimmest Hits
Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Dee Snider - For the Love of Metal
Disturbed - Evolution
Escape the Fate - I Am Human
Fever 333 - Made An America
Five Finger Death Punch - And Justice For None (Deluxe)
From Ashes to New - The Future
Ghost - Prequelle
Godsmack - When Legends Rise
Halestorm - Vicious
High on Fire - Electric Messiah
Ice Nine Kills - The Silver Scream
Immerse - Suffer
Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot
Light the Torch - Revival (Vocalist Howard Jones' new band)
Monster Truck - True Rockers
Ocean - Phenerozoic I: Palaeozoic
P.O.D. - Circles
Red Sun Rising - Thread

Saxon - Thunderbolt

Sevendust - All I See Is War

Sleep - The Sciences

Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1

Soulfly - Ritual

Turnstile - Time & Space

Nonpoint - X - Album Review

Nonpoint "X" (Spinefarm Records, August 24, 2018)

I've written about Nonpoint before and I've been a fan of them since my first listen to their major debut Statement back in 2000.  Since then I've seen them live 9 times and they've put out 9 more albums.  They are unquestionably one of my favorite bands.  Although only two original members remain, the current lineup has been together for a few years and is putting out some of the best music in their catalogue and living up to their killer reputation for live shows.

The tenth album is called "X" as it is their landmark tenth album.  This album delivers a diverse collection of 10 songs while still presenting a cohesive listen from start to finish.  The deluxe version offers another new song, Paralyzed, followed by acoustic versions of Fix This and a very good live version of Generation Idiot from their last album.  The Facebook fan group (361 All Things Nonpoint) can't come to a consensus of what the best tracks are, which just speaks to the diversity and artistry offered here.

Empty Batteries - The introduction makes it sound like a space exploration is about to happen and then the heaviness comes in rather abruptly with fast chugging guitars and pounding drums.  "I won't let you die like a suicidal battery..." Elias screams.  I think this song is about not giving up.  It is also a great opening song because right away you can see that Nonpoint is not messing around and shows no sign of slowing down 20 years into their career.

Chaos and Earthquakes -  This one is just a banger.  It's not the most original song, but Elias raps with skill in the verses and then there is an anthemic chorus that is easy to belt along to.  This was chosen as the first single.  The video is a performance video in a warehouse in front of a florescent lit X with a creepy girl who looks like she's been through a war making sporadic appearances.  It rocks.

Fix This - A poetic tale of regrets.  Elias paints a picture of someone who is battling some demons, but doesn't want to come to grips with what s/he could do to help fix the situation.  The style here is more straightforward with melodic chorus and a little guitar breakdown.  This song has grown on me with every listen.

Crashing - Elias' vocals start off with a yell-like verse before settling into a slower melodic chorus.  The theme here is again questioning course of action.  I'm not as fond of this song compared to the rest.

Passive Aggressive - A haunting gospel-like sound starts this one off before some heavy chugging bass lines come in and Elias rap-sings about someone we have all unfortunately dealt with, a passive aggressive pain in the ass.

Dodge Your Destiny - This is easily the heaviest track and my favorite on the album.  I love the speed and aggression.  I love the theme of not being able to get out of the way of your destiny.  I love the way everyone just kills it on this track, especially the way Elias attacks this song with a fury.

Dodge Your Destiny live @ Starland Ballroom 5/20/18

Wheel Against Will - This one jumps out first because of the drums.  There's nothing flashy here, just Robb pounding away.  Then we have the theme of fighting against the machine, not so subtly a metaphor for opposing the establishment that controls us.  Most impressive is BC's guitar solo.  It starts to shred and then he kind of pulls it back into the rhythm of the song, leaving the listener with just a taste of what he is capable of.

Milestone - This song comes in with some sludgy bass riffs soon juxtaposed by Elias' intense vocals.  In some ways this is classic Nonpoint and yet it feels fresh and different too.  Adam (bass) and Rasheed (rhythm guitar) show how they have taken Nonpoint to another level.

Feel The Way I Feel - A slower tempo emphasizes the emotional turmoil of a bad relationship.  Everyone can relate to this and it's hard not to sing along to the chorus.

Position One - This track closes the 10 song album with another slower tempo song on the verses, but then it picks up in the chorus.  "I'll never let you break me down inside, inside, inside," Elias sings.  Just when you think this song is only about feeling down, a Tom Morello-like solo kicks in.  The dynamic changes in this song really make it a good closer in that it leaves you wanting more.

Paralyzed (bonus) - Fortunately, the deluxe version of the album gives you that extra that you're craving.  This song is about being paralyzed by fear, again a pretty universal experience.  The cool thing about this track is that there is a high pitched guitar riff that almost sounds like keyboards.  The song is balanced by a driving drum beat and rock solid bass providing the foundation.  Paralyzed sounds like nothing Nonpoint have done before, yet I can hear it fitting in with stuff from the early 2000s, like Adema and Linkin Park, when Nonpoint first broke out.

The deluxe version of the album also has an acoustic version of Fix This and a very good live version of Generation Idiot from The Poison Red performed in St. Petersburg, Florida.

I give X four out of five stars and rank it behind Statement and The Poison Red.  CrypticRock rated it 5/5 and I'm Music rated it 9/10.  If you like hard rock, it is well worth checking out this album and, as always, if you like it buy it and support the artists.

For videos from my last Nonpoint show and other stuff, check out my Youtube channel

Top Albums of 2016

2016 was a crap year for celebrity deaths and politics.  It was a weird year for rock, but overall I think a pretty good one.  My album purchases included a lot of new releases as well as building up my catalogue of classic artists such as Meat Loaf and Jimmy Hendrix.  There were comebacks by Blink-182, Dope, Disturbed, Good Charlotte, Lacey Sturm, Metallica, Sum-41, and many others.  Some were definitely more successful than others.  Some bands like Babymetal, Crobot, and Monster Truck proved that they are more than just a one-off.  And still others like Megadeth and Rob Zombie added to their already rich catalogues.  With so many albums of 2016 to pick from, a top 10 list was difficult to put together, but here are my picks.

Top Albums of 2016
Mark Tremonti is a guitar god and singer Myles Kennedy is a beast!  With bands like Shinedown and 3 Doors Down getting softer as singers age and members change, I think Alter Bridge is the best American hard rock band going right now.  The lead track "Show Me A Leader" is up for rock song of the year in Loudwire's fan poll and that is only the beginning of this amazing album.  See my full track-by-track review here.

Babymetal was written off by many as too pop, too eccentric, too young, or just "not metal enough."  However, their fan base has only grown with live performances in the United States lighting up the stage and now their second album which is even heavier, and maybe deeper, than the first.  It still combines J-pop Japanese vocals with Dragonforce-style riffing, but the beefy bass lines and ecclectic mix of genres is dynamic and exciting.  "Karate" is up for Loudwire poll's metal song of the year and it is rivaled by numerous other songs on the album (i.e. Amore or Awadama Fever) as more metal or most favorite.

I have been a fan of Nonpoint since I first heard them from the car speakers of a fellow Metrostars tailgater in Giants stadium parking lot in 2000.  This album is probably their most complete of a masterpiece since their debut Statement.  Lead single Generation Idiot is a spectacular commentary on the technology zombies of today's youth.  Bottled Up Killer Bees delivers a refreshing dose of guitar riffs from BC Kochmit. El Diablo brings Nonpoint's classic Spanish influences in a hell of a song.  Album closer My Last Dying Breath has become a fan favorite already with a cult following.
Cryptic Rock reviews this album about as good as I could here

I have been singing the praises of this band for a while.  Their sophomore album Memento Mori follows their debut, Lux, perfectly.  There are some heavier songs, some emotional songs, and some real deep themes on this record.  I love the unique rasp of singer Aaron Nordstrom's voice and the band sounds amazing behind him through home speakers or live on stage.  Memento Mori means "Remember We Die" and the single by that name is a face-ripper with a positive message about living for the moment.
Here I review their stage show and album in more detail.

Dave Mustaine has had his doubters who have said his best days are behind him, but I disagree.  On "Look Who's Talking" Dave addresses some of the critics and shit-talkers.  The title track is also driven.  I was skeptical of this album before I bought it, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Dystopia really delivers some good songs and some amazing guitar work.  There are chugging riffs and ripping solos.  It is mixed and mastered perfectly.  Honestly, I like it more every time I listen to it and I haven't found a Megadeth album yet that I don't like.  Sorry, Metallica, this is what real metal sounds like.

Throw the Fight - Transmissions almost didn't make this list simply because I had never heard of them before they started touring with the likes of Bullet for My Valentine and Nonpoint.  Formed in the early 2000's out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Throw the Fight is a mix of alternative and heavy that is right up my alley.  There is also a mix of singing and screaming.  They have a few slow songs and then some headbangers.  Transmissions is going to get a lot of play on my devices in 2017.

Another band I learned about from opening for Nonpoint, Kyng keeps cranking out the stoner rock riffs and melodic grooves with their latest Breathe in the Water.  They at times sound like Soundgarden, Toadies, and/or Clutch.  This is the kind of album you can have on in the background or that you can hang on every note and it is an enjoyable listen both ways.  If you don't know this band do yourself a favor and check them out.

While not my favorite album of Weezer's, the white album is a good mix of their old and new styles.  It has some of the deepest lyrical themes since Pinkerton and some of the catchiest hooks since the green album.  The album is sort of like a continuous story as indicated by the beach noises that begin and close the album.  Sometimes I think Weezer try too hard to appeal to the younger audiences and revert to cheesy-pop styles.  When I want to cherry pick the best, my go-to songs off of this album are are "King of the World" and "Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori."

See my 8-10 album reviews of Weezer, Issues, and Tremonti in a previous post here.

Other 2016 albums worth a listen:

Anthrax - For All Kings
Beach Slang - A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
Beartooth - Aggressive
Blink 182 - California
Chevelle - The North Corridor
Crobot - Welcome to Fat City
David Bowie - Blackstar
Deftones - Gore

Devildriver - Trust No One
Disturbed - Immortalized
Dope - Blood Money
Filter - Crazy Eyes
Gojira - Magma
(Hed)P.E. - Forever!
I Prevail - Lifelines
Kings of Leon - Walls
Lacey Sturm - Life Screams
Metallica - Hardwired...to Self Destruct

Monster Truck - Sittin' Heavy
Moose Blood - Blush
Red Sun Rising - Polyester Zeal
Rival Sons - Hollow Bones
Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser
Sick Puppies - Fury
Skillet - Unleashed
Slothrust - Everyone Else
Sum 41 - 13 Voices
Testament - Brotherhood of the Snake
Trivium - Ab Initio

Volbeat - Seal the Deal and Let's Boogie
Wolfmother - Victorious
Wovenwar - Honor is Dead

Most disappointing albums of 2016:

Good Charlotte - Youth Authority

Green Day - Revolution Radio

Highly Suspect - The Boy Who Died Wolf