credit: Christina Fiorino
Reunited group Dr. Acula have recently released their first new album in ten years with their self-titled record, which arrived on October 28th via Silent Pendulum Records. The group’s Lou Figurito has now teamed up with Metal Insider to share his top five favorite albums of 2022.
01) High Vis, Blending
I feel like this band is in for a meteoric rise if it isn’t already in progress. This record is a little hardcore, a little post-punk, and a little Britpop in the vocal melodies. It’s really easy to listen and shout along to. The lyrical themes on this record are potent and the lyrics are honest, cold, and largely relatable. This has definitely been my most listened to record this year.
02) Spite, Dedication to Flesh
There’s so many excellent things about this album. Production is on point across the board from the vocals to the drums. The guitars toe the line between being super heavy and maintaining clarity, which provides for some excellent riffs that cut through the mix. This record excels in every category that you’d measure a deathcore record in, and it represents a high watermark for the genre.
03) Undeath, It’s Time…To Rise from the Grave
I love death metal therefore I love Undeath. This is a pure death metal album with no shortage of sick riffs, grooves, and growls. I’m a big fan of the guitar tones on this record, which have this classic death metal chunk that I don’t hear often enough in the genre anymore, and the vocals that lend a lot to this old-school feel too.
04) Elder, Innate Passage
Elder has never made anything that isn’t enjoyable to listen to and this record continues the trend. I love the drums on this record, especially the snare. The guitar work is some of their best, from the crunchy rhythms to the delay-saturated, chime-like cleans. There’s some great grooves on this record too. Just put 53 minutes and 53 seconds aside, get comfortable, put some headphones on, and take the ride with this album.
05) Dazy, OUTOFBODY
I feel like the sky’s the limit for this band, it’s like everything they write is an earworm. This record is full of super catchy melodies and sing-alongs, and the vocal harmonies really pop. You’re almost guaranteed to be singing this to yourself the rest of the day.
