7) Orange Goblin, A Eulogy For the Damned (Candlelight)
Although it was all the way back in January, I already knew that A Eulogy for the Damned was on the shortlist for year’s best about halfway through it’s opening track, the anthemic “Red Tide Rising.” The UK band’s 7th album is stoner rock paradise, and well worth the five-year wait. At least once a year, there’s an album that makes me want to drink whiskey and punch babies – this is some prime baby punchin’ music!
6) Torche, Harmonicraft (Volcom)
Like Crowbar playing Foo Fighters songs, Torche write heavy, demented pop. Their third full length is tuneful, sludgy, and crushing at the same time. A high point of my concert going experience was watching them absolutely kill at Orion fest with an obviously impressed James Hetfield air guitaring side stage.
5) Devin Townsend Project, Epicloud (Heavy Devy/Inside Out)
It took me a while to drink the Devin Townsend Kool Aid. I’ve never doubted him as a producer (Soilwork’s Natural Born Chaos FTW!), but it took the diversity of his last four album for him to really win me over. And the positivity and overall goofiness of Epicloud essentially makes it the fifth album in his suite. He’s like the metal version of Prince – prolific and unfuckablewith in the studio, a great live show and some damn good songs to boot.
