With the year in music just about over, Metal Insider‘s staff and contributors are taking a look back and naming their top ten albums of 2012. This next list comes courtesy of Metal Insider editor Bram Teitelman. We’re also including a Spotify playlists with a song from each album, if available. We’ll also be sprinkling in other lists from artists over the next few days as well. What are your top ten? Weigh in in the comments section.
10) Van Halen, A Different Kind of Truth (Interscope)
This is kind of cheating for a few reasons. First of all, many of the songs were written years ago, before they were even signed. And I don’t think anyone would really consider Van Halen “metal.” But for anyone that grew up listening to rock radio in the ‘80s can attest, they were intertwined with the beginning of hair metal. Their first album with David Lee Roth on it since Reagan was in office is pretty much better than just about any album with Sammy Hagar in it. Aside from Diamond Dave showing his age a bit and Wolfgang Van Halen’s involvement, this album is still one of the more fun albums to come out this year.
9) Deftones, Koi No Yokan (Reprise)
In 2010, Deftones took everyone by surprise with Diamond Eyes, their most vital album in years. Its follow-up is nearly as good, with songs both heavier (“Swerve City,” “Leathers”) and more melodic (“Tempest,” “Gauze”) than their last album. As much of an identity that the band had with Chi Cheng, they’re batting 1000 with Sergio Vega on bass.
8) Baroness, Yellow and Green (Relapse)
Like fellow Georgians Mastodon, Baroness signed to Relapse and put out a debut album that merely hinted at what was to come. When Yellow and Green was announced, it had the deck stacked against it – not only was it a double album, but word was the band was taking a stab at being more commercial. Despite those odds, they managed to pull it off nearly effortlessly. Not every song is perfect, but the two albums complement each other without getting too long. And songs like “Take my Bones Away,” “Cocanium” and “Board up the House” are instant classics that will hopefully be live staples once the band is recovered from their horrific bus crash.
