On January 18, 2016, Eagles founding member, Glenn Frey, passed away at the age of 67 from complications due to rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and pneumonia.
After touring as part of the backing band for Linda Ronstadt with Don Henley, the two founded the band in 1971 with the help of Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon.
1. White Ward: Love Exchange Failure
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
For Fans Of: Deafheaven, Agalloch
The top spot this year almost seems unfair: every time White Ward release an album, I feel like the race is over before it’s even begun. The Odessa, Ukraine quintet’s second album is a worthy follow-up to their magnificent 2017 debut, Futility Report, doubling down on its ferocity, beauty, and scope.
What really separates White Ward from their peers is a concentrated infusion of noir jazz elements seamlessly bobbing and weaving through powerful waves of gritty black metal. Each song elegantly strides along a high-wire of broiling intensity, with a meticulous, immaculate blanket of emotional grandiosity washing over every second of its 67-minute runtime.
Love Exchange Failure is an absolute masterpiece for a budding young band with a flawless track record thus far.
Essential Track: “Poisonous Flowers of Violence”
2. Cattle Decapitation: Death Atlas
Genre: Brutal Death-Grind
For Fans Of: Origin, Aborted
Your favorite anti-humanity brutes are back, baby! Pushing their melodic, twisted fantasies even further this time around, Cattle Decapitation will stomp on your throat until you beg them to let you wither in peace. Honestly, who can deny catchy, sinister chants of, “Bring the back the plague?!”
Essential Track: “Time’s Cruel Curtain”
3. Immortal Bird: Thrive on Neglect
Genre: Progressive Blackened Death-Grind
For Fans Of: Intronaut, Xoth
Labeling Immortal Bird as “progressive” is still undermining just how dynamic this bunch of musicians are, continually stopping on a dime to shove another face-ripping shift down your throat. If the relentless pummeling doesn’t give you blessed nightmares, vocalist Rae Amitay’s shrill snarls certainly will.
Essential Track: “Vestigial Warnings”
4. Spotlights: Love & Decay
Genre: Metal-Gaze
For Fans Of: Isis, Jesu
The second offering by the Brooklyn trio (featuring husband-and-wife duo, Sarah and Mario Quintero) is a true spiritual expedition, full of thick distortion and honey-sweet harmonies. Spotlights pack a deadly, yet accessible punch with wallowing drones and irresistible hooks that will satisfy all listeners, even those who aren’t necessarily accustomed to metal.
Essential Track: “Far From Falling”
On January 18, 1989, at just 38 years old, Stevie Wonder became the youngest living person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Other inductees included The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, Dion, and Phil Spector.
5. Falls of Rauros: Patterns in Mythology
Genre: Folk/black metal
For Fans Of: Panopticon, Opeth (early)
One of the unsung heroes of modern folk metal return with a high-point in their long career. Patterns is yet another showcase of patience-and-reward with lengthy, complex arrangements and luscious, fully-realized atmospheric splendor.
Essential Track: “New Inertia”
What do you think of this record? Favorite tracks?
6. Hypno5e: A Distant (Dark) Source
Genre: Post-Metal
For Fans Of: The Ocean, Gojira
On their fifth album, the French quartet further cultivates their epic blend of “cinematic metal.” Conceptually crafting a narrative around the mystical reemergence of a vast, ancient lake in Bolivia, Hypno5e delivers an organic mix of graceful melancholy and immediate power.
Essential Track: “On the Dry Lake”
What do you think of this record? Favorite tracks?
7. Alcest: Spiritual Instinct
Genre: Melodic Post-Metal
For Fans Of: Woodys of Ypres, Sylvaine
The French duo return with another dazzling display of control and joyous artistic freedom on Instinct. Once a one-man project of frontman, Neige, Alcest evermore surmount expectations and limitations by creating gorgeous, spiraling compositions that even non-metal fans are sure to embrace and cherish.
Essential Track: “Sapphire”
What do you think of this record? Favorite tracks?
8. The Odious: Vesica Piscis
Genre: Progressive Tech-Death
For Fans Of: Between the Buried and Me, Devin Townsend
The final album in a thematic trilogy for Portland’s The Odious, Vesica Piscis goes down like a fine craft beer. The band throws every stray hair of an influence, ranging from death metal to alt-rock to blues, into a massive mixing bowl and dumps it in your lap for a tasty metal journey.
Essential Track: “Repugnant”
What did you think of this record? Favorite tracks?
9. Inter Arma: Sulphur English
Genre: Blackened Doom-Sludge
For Fans Of: Sumac, Conan
Lumping Inter Arma’s lumbering, churning style in with other straight-up doom bands may seem like a no-brainer, but Sulphur English defiantly plows exhausted soil for burgeoning decadence. Vocalist Mike Paparo’s demonic, droning howls over psychedelic, folk-laden sludge spawn an eclipsing, suffocating acid trip that feels like you’re pledging allegiance to evil.
Essential Track: “Howling Lands”
What did you this of this record? Favorite tracks?
10. Blood Incantation: Hidden History of the Human Race
Genre: Death Metal
For Fans Of: Dying Fetus, Tomb Mold
On the heels of their critically acclaimed debut full-length, Starspawn, these Denver natives sprinkle more intergalactic goodness on their brand of old-school death metal. The stellar 18-minute closer is a testament to experimentation and old-fashioned pit thrashing.
Essential Track: “Awakening From the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)”
What did you think of this record? Favorite tracks?
Congrats to the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees!
Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, Notorious B.I.G., The Doobie Brothers, T. Rex, and Depeche Mode!
Happy 43rd birthday to David Bowie’s Low! Released on January 14, 1977, Bowie’s eleventh studio album marked the first of three collaborations with musician and producer, Brian Eno, also known as the “Berlin Trilogy.” Low is held in many respects to be Bowie’s greatest release.
Legendary drummer, Charlie Watts, made his live debut with The Rolling Stones on January 14, 1963 at the Flamingo Jazz Club in SoHo, London.
Progressive metal group, Between the Buried and Me, announced their new tour, An Evening With. The band will play two sets to celebrate their 20th anniversary, one of classics spanning their lengthy career, and another playing The Great Misdirect in its entirety.
