4. Architects – ‘Lost Forever // Lost Together’
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better metalcore record this year than Architects’ latest release. Bridging the band’s aggressive past and intricate present, ‘Lost Forever // Lost Together’ is an album that truly proves how well Architects can write music. The songs are heavy and unruly, but with melodies so neatly woven in that you can’t help but be affected by some side of the music spectrum. The true star of the record is “Youth Is Wasted On The Young”‘s incredibly structured songwriting but no song on the album is lacking. Old-school fans will adore “C.A.N.C.E.R.” and “Naysayer” but a huge kudos to the band for never making the same album twice.
3. Beartooth – ‘Disgusting’
If it’s one thing music fans like to see it is growth, and I’d argue no one has grown more this year than Caleb Shomo. Inspired by his rough past and youthful angst, Caleb sat down in his basement and wrote about how he felt, recorded guitars, drums and bass, and screamed as much of himself as he could into a microphone. The result is Beartooth, a solo project for the former Attack Attack! frontman and though it may be a solo project it sounds as collective as any punk album you may have grown up listening to. 1 reason I personally enjoyed ‘Disgusting’ so much was because it reminded of metalcore’s past – metal infused with hardcore – giving the album a vintage feel. The modern arena-eyed pop choruses provide the album even more dimension than was possible in metalcore’s past however. Though ‘Disgusting’ is at times a bit TOO consistent, the humility & modesty of its content is enough to outweigh the album’s repetition. Full of anthems for anyone looking to get into the pit (look no further than “Body Bag”) and those who enjoy honesty in their music (“I Have A Problem”, “Sick & Disgusting”). ‘Disgusting’ is a memorable and impactful record that has been deservedly embraced by many.
7. Of Mice & Men – ‘Restoring Force’
Having grown up in the 90’s Of Mice & Men did what any heavy music fan of that era would love to do: Create an album that could stand with any band they grew up listening to. Not only is ‘Restoring Force’ heaps more mature (You’re sure Papa Roach didn’t write “Identity Disorder”?) but it also showcases a kingdom-minded group of musicians playing music that they genuinely enjoy. The album still comes equipped with signature OM&M bangers such as “Public Service Announcement” and “Glass Hearts” – but the real attraction here is the Slipknot/Machine Head/Mudvayne lovechild that is “You Make Me Sick”. Look out for the album to come Full-Circle in February.
6. Volumes – ‘No Sleep’
Volumes do a grand job of playing unique, emotional djent that rivals their peers and allows them to exist in multiple scenes. ‘No Sleep’ is the band’s second and finest full-length featuring improved songwriting and display of band chemistry. The replay value is high and the grooves are massive as expected (“Neon Eyes” especially jams) but the addition of more clean vocals creates a feely atmosphere that ‘Via’ only semi-explored. Songs like “Erased” and “Up All Night” show that ‘No Sleep’ is more than just passionate music – It’s a collection of personal experiences.
5. Issues – ‘Issues’
Everyone’s been talking about Issues and for good reason: The Georgia/LA-based gentlemen make for a downright ambitious group. The Issues shown on the self-titled record was a band that wanted to appeal to fans of Limp Bizkit, Justin Timberlake and Breathe Carolina alike. The effort is as crazy as it would seem, but the album was more than a novelty – The massive choruses, emotive hardcore expression, electronic-produced melodic soundscapes and heavy low-end guitars crushed, dazzled and entranced the listener in a way that no other band in 2014 did. Each song was different than the last, yet consistent in delivery. Even on album #1 Issues have an identity, as sporadic as it may be, and all of the heart that went into songs such as “Never Lose Your Flames” and “Disappear (Remember When)” should not be overlooked.
tags:
Album Of The Year Architects Beartooth Crosses Crown The Empire Issues Music Reviews Of Mice & Men Set It Off Slipknot The Amity Affliction Volumes
